[AT] Livestock ID

[dfolske at nccray.net]

Walt,
The National Animal Identification System intended as a means of traceback for 
animal disease outbreaks and also to fit the demands of our international 
customers who demand maimum traceability for food health issues. The 
methods being discussed do of course have some political aspects (what 
doesn't). One of the biggest political issues is who will control the databases and 
who will pay for everything.

In North Dakota we have taken the initiative to develop a proposal to test a 
proposed database system using electronic radio frequency ear tags. Producers 
can sign on to a research program looking at tag retention and tag type (high 
frequency or low frequency). It costs producers $2 per head but will include the 
return of growth effeciency and carcass trait information if the calves go to a 
cooperating feedlot and packer. The packers and large feedlots are generally 
onboard with the program but many smaller feedlots still cut out all existing tags 
and retag everything. 

There are still a lot of variables and what eventually happens may still change a 
lot. One of the intial programs would have required an electronic chip implanted 
in every domestic animal including cats, dogs, pet mice and individual chickens. 
The plan also called for a premise ID for individual pastures and you would have 
had to file a change of premise report every time you moved an animal from one 
pasture to another. Most current proposals would require tagging when an 
animal moves from the place of its birth. You wouldn't have to have your 
animals tagged on the farm but they would have to be tagged at the sales barn 
or scale where they were being sold. Animals sold privately like bulls or 
replacement heifers would need to be tagged before leaving your place. Some 
proposals I've read indicated that it may eventually be illegal for any packing 
plant or local meat plant to accept and kill any animal without the proper tagging 
and documentation. But I have not seen how those plans will account for the lost 
tags we know will happen. 

The implanted chip idea  seems to have been dropped do to concerns about 
chip migration. Chips inserted in an ear do not always stay in the year, but 
migrate to other areas of the body. If an implanted chip cannot be located and 
removed from a carcass the carcass would be considered adulterated and 
would be condemned.

As producers we need to educate ourselves and take part in the discussions 
about alternatives as much as possible. 
Dan

On 23 Feb 2006 at 19:54, DAVIESW739 at aol.com wrote:

> I raise Limousin cattle and I'm going to a  meeting on Saturday to see what 
> this is all about. will talk after that.  I  have registered my farm so far but 
> not sure what we are going to do on the  cattle. I'm hoping for a simple tag 
> not a brand or tattoo. although I do tattoo  the registered ones I don't do it 
> to the ones I sell at market for meat. \
> I  don't think that this is politics I think its more on the side of be able 
> to  trace the origin of sick cows and such. I'm all in favor of that I just 
> don't  want to get to involved as I a little guy on a budget.
> 
> Walt  Davies
> Cooper Hollow Farm