The Society is asking members to help themselves and the office staff at this challenging time by using iTexel for birth notifications wherever possible and to upload birth notifications to the database as soon as practical after the end of lambing.
Society chief executive John Yates said members should remember that submitting birth notifications online is 30% cheaper than by post and, with Society office staffing disrupted by the Covid-19 pandemic using iTexel was the best approach.
“While the May 31st deadline remains in place the Society board may consider extending this if there is any indication that Covid-19 restrictions will disrupt late August sales and freedom of movement at markets at that time.
“As some members will already be aware, the small team at the Society office is disrupted as the team includes vulnerable workers which has reduced the staff available to support enquiries and input paper birth notifications.
By using the Society’s online services members will not only reduce the potential for a backlog of paper submissions at the office and deadlines not being met, they will also benefit from the cheaper fees available for online submissions.
Mr Yates also reminded members that while lambing data should be uploaded as soon as time allowed, the iTexel database allows for births to be added and then their status changed to fully pedigree birth notified at a later date such as closer to the end of May.
Other lambs can be notified at any point between now and the end of May and still avoid late notification charges. The animal’s change of status to fully birth notified, or fully registered (females) can be carried out on the member’s flock admin page available in early April.
“The Society’s new iTexel database is accessible to all members and members are reminded that need to obtain login details from the Society office if they are not already an online member.
All current online members will have already received an email explaining their new login which they need to activate. Basco login details do not work on iTexel!”
Those members that have traditionally sent paper birth notifications should contact the office for their new login details. In addition those members that do not already have one in place will need to complete a direct debit mandates as this is a pre-requisite for using iTexel online services.
Members who have not activated their login details please do this before you wish to use iTexel and do not leave it until the last minute. Please contact registrations@texel.co.uk for further information and support.
The iTexel database has a number of software development releases over the coming months to increase its functionality.
“It is also likely there may be some disruption to postal services in the coming weeks should the Covid-19 situation worsen. Therefore, I would urge all members to submit their birth notifications online as soon as they feel it is acceptable. Please help the Society’s staff help you and only call the office if the matter is urgent,” added Mr Yates.
