SheepTrace: What’s changing for sheep producers
By Jerremy Lewis, sheep producer and founder of Ranch.Bot.
SheepTrace is the new name being introduced for the Canadian Sheep Identification Program (CSIP). Administration is moving from the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) to the Canadian Sheep Federation (CSF).
Do you need to change how you tag sheep or report information today? For now, continue using the existing systems and processes. CSF says the transition itself does not introduce new regulatory requirements. Read the September 16 announcement.
Sources last checked: September 17, 2026.
What is changing?
CSF and the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) have reached an agreement for CSF to become the national sheep program's responsible administrator.
CSF, CFIA and CCIA will prepare the handover during a 90-day transition. The agreement takes effect following that transition period.
CSF expects the transition to finish in December 2026. Producers can continue buying approved tags through their usual channels. Further instructions will cover system access, reporting and data transition. Source: CSF news release.
Does this introduce new sheep traceability rules?
The administrator change and CFIA's proposed regulatory amendments are separate developments. CFIA's current guidance says the proposed amendments have not been finalized and are not yet in effect. Check CFIA's current proposal status.
Keep following existing requirements while watching for official updates. The Canadian sheep and goat traceability records guide explains the broader recordkeeping context and links to the proposals.
What should producers do now?
Continue using your current reporting process until official instructions change. Watch for CSF's transition notices rather than treating December as a new farm reporting deadline.
Check the instructions for your province, too. CFIA directs Quebec sheep producers to Attestra for the applicable identification and movement information. Find the relevant administrator or reporting system.
One useful job now is checking a recent breeding-stock arrival. Could you find each ewe's official tag number and who she came from?
Check one breeding-stock arrival record
Keeping records for sheep received for breeding is an existing requirement. SheepTrace does not create it. CFIA's producer guidance lists the approved tag number, actual arrival date, and previous owner or custodian's name and address. Keep these records for at least five years. Source: CFIA producer guidance.
Pick one sheep recently received for breeding and check that you can retrieve the following information.
| Information | Check your record |
|---|---|
| Approved tag number | Is the complete number recorded against the correct sheep? |
| Arrival date | Is this the actual arrival date, rather than the date you entered the note? |
| Previous owner or custodian | Do you have the name and address? |
Use a notebook or spreadsheet if that works for you. Keep each animal's identity connected to the arrival details. A farm nickname or a count of three does not replace an approved tag number.
The reason for arrival, an invoice reference and supporting documents can help with later questions. A saved farm record and a submitted traceability report are different things. Keep any required submission confirmation with your records.
When the note is incomplete
“Three replacement ewes arrived from Alex” is a starting note. It leaves the official identifiers, actual arrival date and previous custodian's full details unresolved.
A partial note is a useful reminder, but it is not a complete arrival record. Confirm the missing details rather than guessing them. Do not infer an arrival date from when the message was written.
Try this later question against your records: “For this ewe, what is her approved tag number, when did she arrive, and who had her before arrival?”
This is a practical records check, not a complete compliance form. Confirm other obligations for your event and province with the relevant authority.
Where Ranch.Bot helps
Ranch.Bot helps you turn livestock notes into records you can review and find later.
After setting up your farm online and enabling Text-in, send notes from your registered phone. Open the web dashboard to check and correct proposed records before saving them. You can then find the saved history when you need it.
Sending texts requires SMS service. Setup and dashboard review require an internet connection. See how setup and review work.
Before relying on Ranch.Bot for breeding-arrival records, check that it preserves and retrieves every detail you need. The checklist above is for checking your existing records; it is not a tested Ranch.Bot arrival-record example.
Saving a record in Ranch.Bot does not submit it to SheepTrace or another official reporting system. Follow the applicable reporting instructions separately.
Bring a sheep-record example to a Ranch.Bot demo. See how a note becomes a proposed record, what you review before saving, and where to find it later. Schedule a demo.