Türkiye’s cattle existence exceeded 17 million 804 thousand heads as of the end of June 2026. Approximately 17 million 640 thousand of this is cattle, and the remaining part is buffalos. The Secure Electronic Tag and Tracking System (GEKİS) developed by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry aims to provide an electronic ID to every cattle. With the new system, the facility where the animal was born, its movements, shipping procedures and slaughterhouse process will be able to be followed electronically. Electronic earrings are planned to work with the animal registration system, road controls and slaughterhouse systems. Thus, the stages a cattle goes through, from the moment it leaves the farm until it is slaughtered, can be seen in digital records.
DIGITAL IDENTITY FOR 17.6 MILLION CATTLE
If the system becomes widespread throughout Türkiye, the history of millions of animals will be tracked through a single digital infrastructure. This situation is important not only for livestock enterprises, but also for illegal animal movements, disease monitoring and food safety. The real interesting question is whether this digital chain will extend to the consumer. If the identity of the animal can be traced back to the slaughterhouse, it is technically possible to match this data with labeling and sales systems. In such a model, by scanning a QR code on the meat with their phone, the consumer will be able to see which business the product came from, when it was slaughtered and the recorded production process.
NECESSARY FOR FOOD SAFETY
However, in the current GEKIS statements of the Ministry, an application has not yet been announced that allows the consumer to see directly from his phone which animal the meat he buys at the butcher or market comes from. Experts state that if the electronic identification system is fully integrated with the slaughterhouse and sales chain, the source of the meat can be traced back. It is stated that such a structure can provide a new control opportunity in terms of monitoring animal movements, disease control and food safety. The next stages of implementation will show whether the system will be available to consumers.
