New bid to tackle horse theft
Farmkey has introduced a new security system aimed at deterring would-be thieves
In an attempt to deter would-be thieves, the freeze-marking company Farmkey has launched a freeze brand to provide proof that a horse has been identichipped.
The horseshoe-shaped MicroMark can be placed on the saddle area or the shoulder of the animal and will appear white, or in the case of grey horses, a bald mark.
Microchips carry an individual number for each animal and are read via a special scanner. This offers indisputable identification of a particular horse, but because they are inserted beneath the skin, it is not obvious that a horse has been security-marked.
New owners or slaughterhouses do not always realise they have a way of determining where a horse has come from.
The MicroMark – in the shape of an upside down omega – is designed to appeal to horse owners who feel that the traditional letters and digits of a freeze-mark detract from the horse’s appearance.
“We’ve made the mark as distinctive as possible, while still being more discreet than the traditional freeze-mark,” said Farmkey spokesman Peter Mills.
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Farmkey are planning an extensive advertising campaign so that the people are aware of what the omega sign stands for.
Farmkey is working alongside microchip supplier Animalcare to offer the Identichip. Horses microchipped by security company Tracker can also be marked by Farmkey.
Horses that have been microchipped will be freeze-marked with the MicroMark for £40-45, the standard fee. Discounts are available for groups of horses marked on the same day and the fee includes a year’s membership for Farmkey’s stolen horse recovery service.
For more information contact Farmkey (tel: 01270 536510) or click here to visit www.farmkey.com
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