Selected reference

The project consisted of three components:

1. Completion of the bovine I&R system in line with relevant EU and FYR Macedonian legislation including all components at field level and in the central database. (The target was to achieve that more than 90% of the cattle population are tagged, identified, registered and their movements recorded.)

2. Preparation of a detailed concept, system design and implementation plan for extending the present I&R system to ovine and caprine animals in line with EU legal requirements; harmonization of the relevant legislation; design of a small ruminant holding census; establishment of a sheep and goat holding register.

3. Preparation of a concept, system design and implementation plan for developing an integrated animal I&R and veterinary surveillance network, including agreed solution, technical design, workflow and information flow, data model and tender documents for procurement of all system components; elaboration of a veterinary information system for all ruminants at the individual holding, herd/flock and animal level; the design should have taken into account the future development of other VD and Ministry systems such as a complete animal holding register (pigs and others), concept of farm register (integrated for all farms or separate animal farm register), integrated administration and control system (IACS) and GIS.

• Provision of hands on management assistance to first tagging and registration of all cattle, updating of holding information, entry and validation of data on the central data base.
• Assist in planning and monitoring of first tagging which will took three to five months during the winter period when cattle are housed in stables.
• Identify needs, design and provide further training as required for farmers, slaughterhouse operators, field veterinarians, inspectors, and central HQ staff
• Support to establish a functioning and sustainable I&R Unit
• Design and introduce computer based budgeting and accounting system for I&R operations and develop a financing concept to make I&R system operations progressively independent from the treasury from 2007 onwards
• Prepare a realistic concept in compliance with EU requirements relating to sheep and goat I&R
• Preparation of an implementation strategy, including: procurement timetable, hardware and software installation and testing programme, training requirements, awareness and publicity campaigns
• Define additional software functions required by the Veterinary Directorate for both I&R and veterinary surveillance