The Primates Identity Technology (PIT) Lesotho will insert into at least 120 rams, the new livestock identification system known as the microchip, at a farm in Masianokeng on Wednesday next week.

Speaking in an interview, the Primates Identity Technology Managing Director, Mr. Yehuda Danziger told LENA that the microchip is aimed at setting effective livestock registration and identification to reduce the escalating rate of live stock theft in Lesotho.
He said, sheep which will be micro chipped will be sold to the individual farmers, following the guarantee that the implantable, non-migrating microchip will assist in easy identification of the animals in case of theft.

In his explanation on how the microchip operates, Mr. Danziger said microchips are tiny electronic devises imported from the United Sates, about the size of the rice grain, which are stored in a capsule and implanted under the animals skin. He noted that once an animal has been implanted with the microchip, it becomes easy to find rightful owners of stolen as well as lost animals, adding that the microchip is read with a scanner, and has Identity numbers that are maintained on a central database giving absolute control.

He said, the microchips are injected in different parts of the body of an animal depending on the kind, saying with sheep, the microchip will be inserted behind the left ears. In the meantime, PIT has undertaken a pilot project to prove the reliability of the microchip with the Police Training College, where 54 horses were micro chipped. The Commissioner of Police has thus advocated the use of microchip technology as an effective solution to  combating stock theft in Lesotho.

21 February, 2003