.our history
The Manitoba Sheep Breeders Association was formed in 1904, becoming active in the promotion, showing and selling of purebred stock. This remained the major purpose of the MSBA, although it also handled industry concerns. Concern that the commercial side of the industry was not being adequately served resulted in the formation of the Manitoba Lamb Feeders Association.
For several years both organizations were active. However, after the late 1940s the industry in the Province decreased in size and in January 1981 the two groups amalgamated under the name of the Manitoba Sheep Association, which was incorporated in 1989.
In 2003 following a successful referendum the Manitoba Sheep Association (MSA) is now designated as the official organization representing sheep producers in the producers in the Province and thus allowed to levy a mandatory but refundable check-off. In Manitoba and the other western provinces this will be $1.00 tied to the purchase of national ID tags (Check-off regulations). All producers paying check-off and not requesting a refund will be members of the MSA. This will allow the MSA to more effectively represent sheep producers at both the provincial and national levels.
The MSA actively promotes the sheep and lamb industry and presents sheep producer concerns and issues to government and other agricultural organizations. It represents both the commercial and the purebred sectors of the industry. It is a member of the Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), the Manitoba Forage Council and the Canadian Sheep Federation.
Becoming a Member:
A member in good standing is a producer who has purchased sheep tags and has not requested a check off refund in the past year. To become a member of MSA you must purchase your government tags from the Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers (CCWG) and thereby pay a check off fee of $1 per animal. The new government tags are yellow, have a 9 digit sequence and have a radio frequency identification chip (RFID) for traceability. (Read further down the page for tag regulations)
The CCWG is the sole distributor of all tags for Alberta, Manitoba, Yukon and the Northwest Territories. The Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board purchases tags from the CCWG and handles the distribution of the tags to its Saskatchewan producers.
There are two types of tags available:
Prices as of February 2012
Shearwell EID Tags ($2.65 ea, sold in multiples of 20 or 100 including check off).
Uses a green Shearwell applicator - $9.95 or free on first purchase of 200 EID tags or more.
Allflex Single Button RFID (radio frequency identification) $3.98 ea / pkg 20 including check of) or a combination of button/dangle tags ($4.48 ea / pkg 20 including check off) - used usually for purebred sheep as an option to a single tag plus tattoo.
Uses an Allflex Total Tagger Applicator $43.95
All prices subject to Alberta 5% tax and GST. Shipping is extra (Greyhound bus if larger parcel, or by Canada Expresspost)
All animals leaving property of birth for any reason whatsoever, be it a show, a vet, sale or slaughter, must have a radio frequency identification tag as of Jan 1, 2013. Until Dec 31, 2012, animals with pink government tags may still be sold and transported same as with RFID. After that, they have to be re-tagged next to the old tag with a new RFID if leaving the property. IT IS ILLEGAL TO REMOVE OLD TAGS as those numbers are already registered for traceability.
Manitoba Agriculture is helping producers get their PREMISES IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS (PID) in place for their legal livestock operations which is becoming mandatory. At some point in the future it will become mandatory to produce these numbers when ordering tags. Producers who do not have a PID, need to contact David Hunt at the Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiativies (204) 945-8380 and apply for it.
To view tag options - please go to this link and look for header Marking and Identification (far right column).
Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers Livestock Supplies
918 - 1 Avenue South
Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 0A9
1-800-567-3693
E-mail: ccwgab@telusplanet.net
www.wool.ca
For more information on tag regulations and tagging resource info go to the Canadian Sheep Federation website.
The Manitoba Sheep Breeders Association was formed in 1904, becoming active in the promotion, showing and selling of purebred stock. This remained the major purpose of the MSBA, although it also handled industry concerns. Concern that the commercial side of the industry was not being adequately served resulted in the formation of the Manitoba Lamb Feeders Association.
For several years both organizations were active. However, after the late 1940s the industry in the Province decreased in size and in January 1981 the two groups amalgamated under the name of the Manitoba Sheep Association, which was incorporated in 1989.
In 2003 following a successful referendum the Manitoba Sheep Association (MSA) is now designated as the official organization representing sheep producers in the producers in the Province and thus allowed to levy a mandatory but refundable check-off. In Manitoba and the other western provinces this will be $1.00 tied to the purchase of national ID tags (Check-off regulations). All producers paying check-off and not requesting a refund will be members of the MSA. This will allow the MSA to more effectively represent sheep producers at both the provincial and national levels.
The MSA actively promotes the sheep and lamb industry and presents sheep producer concerns and issues to government and other agricultural organizations. It represents both the commercial and the purebred sectors of the industry. It is a member of the Keystone Agricultural Producers (KAP), the Manitoba Forage Council and the Canadian Sheep Federation.
Becoming a Member:
A member in good standing is a producer who has purchased sheep tags and has not requested a check off refund in the past year. To become a member of MSA you must purchase your government tags from the Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers (CCWG) and thereby pay a check off fee of $1 per animal. The new government tags are yellow, have a 9 digit sequence and have a radio frequency identification chip (RFID) for traceability. (Read further down the page for tag regulations)
The CCWG is the sole distributor of all tags for Alberta, Manitoba, Yukon and the Northwest Territories. The Saskatchewan Sheep Development Board purchases tags from the CCWG and handles the distribution of the tags to its Saskatchewan producers.
There are two types of tags available:
Prices as of February 2012
Shearwell EID Tags ($2.65 ea, sold in multiples of 20 or 100 including check off).
Uses a green Shearwell applicator - $9.95 or free on first purchase of 200 EID tags or more.
Allflex Single Button RFID (radio frequency identification) $3.98 ea / pkg 20 including check of) or a combination of button/dangle tags ($4.48 ea / pkg 20 including check off) - used usually for purebred sheep as an option to a single tag plus tattoo.
Uses an Allflex Total Tagger Applicator $43.95
All prices subject to Alberta 5% tax and GST. Shipping is extra (Greyhound bus if larger parcel, or by Canada Expresspost)
All animals leaving property of birth for any reason whatsoever, be it a show, a vet, sale or slaughter, must have a radio frequency identification tag as of Jan 1, 2013. Until Dec 31, 2012, animals with pink government tags may still be sold and transported same as with RFID. After that, they have to be re-tagged next to the old tag with a new RFID if leaving the property. IT IS ILLEGAL TO REMOVE OLD TAGS as those numbers are already registered for traceability.
Manitoba Agriculture is helping producers get their PREMISES IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS (PID) in place for their legal livestock operations which is becoming mandatory. At some point in the future it will become mandatory to produce these numbers when ordering tags. Producers who do not have a PID, need to contact David Hunt at the Manitoba Agriculture, Food and Rural Initiativies (204) 945-8380 and apply for it.
To view tag options - please go to this link and look for header Marking and Identification (far right column).
Canadian Cooperative Wool Growers Livestock Supplies
918 - 1 Avenue South
Lethbridge, Alberta T1J 0A9
1-800-567-3693
E-mail: ccwgab@telusplanet.net
www.wool.ca
For more information on tag regulations and tagging resource info go to the Canadian Sheep Federation website.
Painting by Gerry Oliver
The Manitoba Sheep Association
Working for Manitoba Sheep Producers
Manitoba Sheep Association
email mb@mbsheep.ca
Phone: (204) 421-9434
email mb@mbsheep.ca
Phone: (204) 421-9434