Official Animal Identification Requirements
Official Identification refers to devices approved by the United Stated Department of Agriculture (USDA) and meet various standard for the identification of animals moving across state lines. Only identification that meets USDA standards count as official identification. There are several forms of official identification for each species of livestock and the need for the animal to be official identified depends on several factors including, species, age, use, and final destination.
For animals that require official identification to move across state lines the ID numbers must be recorded on the certificate of veterinary inspection (CVI) that accompanies the animal or they may be typed onto an attached list.
The requirements that do not apply to livestock moving:
- Entirely within Tribal land that straddles a State line and the Tribe has a separate traceability system from the States in which its lands are located; or
- To a custom slaughter facility in accordance with Federal and State regulations for preparation of meat.
Other exemptions are applied on a species-specific basis.
All official ID tags must display USDA's US Shield for them to be considered official.
For additional information on official identification devices and requirements please visit USDA's
Approved Device List and the Codes of Federal Regulation 9 CFR 86, 9 CFR 71.19, and 9 CFR 79.
Official Identification Requirements
- Official identification is required for the following cattle and bison:
- All sexually intact cattle and bison 18 months of age or over;
- All female dairy cattle of any age and all dairy males born after March 11, 2013;
- Cattle and bison of any age used for rodeo or recreational events; and
- Cattle and bison of any age used for shows or exhibitions
Official Identification Devices
AIN RFID Orange Tag
| Female calfhood vaccination only
|
NUES Metal Clip OCV/Orange Tag
| Female calfhood vaccination only, if applied before November 5, 2024
|
AIN RFID White Tag
| All cattle and bison
|
NUES Metal Clip Silver Brite Tag
| All cattle and bison, if applied before November 5, 2024
|
Breed Registration Tattoos
| All cattle when approved by both states and a breed registration certificate that displays the tattoo is present
|
Group/Lot Identification Number
| Cattle managed as a group through all stages of pre-harvest production when individual official identification is not required
|
Cattle and bison moving interstate are exempt from the official identification requirement when moved:
- As a commuter herd with a copy of the commuter herd agreement or other documents as agreed to by the shipping and receiving States or Tribes.
- Moved directly from a location in one State through another State to a second location in the original State.
- They are moved from the farm of origin for veterinary medical examination or treatment and returned to the same location without change in ownership.
- Moved interstate directly to an approved tagging site and are officially identified before commingling with cattle and bison from other premises or identified by the use of backtags or other methods that will ensure that the identity of the animal is accurately maintained until tagging so that the official ear tag can be correlated to the person responsible for shipping the animal to the approved tagging site.
- Moved between shipping and receiving States or Tribes with another form of identification, as agreed upon by animal health officials in the shipping and receiving States or Tribes.
- Moved directly to a recognized slaughtering establishment or directly to no more than one approved livestock facility and then directly to a recognized slaughtering establishment, where they are harvested within 3 days of arrival and they are moved interstate with a USDA-approved backtag; or A USDA-approved backtag is applied to the cattle or bison at the recognized slaughtering establishment or federally approved livestock facility.
Official Identification Requirements
- All equines are required to have official identification for movement across state lines unless noted below
Official Identification Devices
Sufficient Description
| All equine
|
Digital photographs
| All equine
|
Electronic identification that complies with ISO 11784/11785
| All equine
|
Non-ISO electronic identification if applied before March 11th, 2014
| All equine
|
Horses and other equines moving interstate are exempt from the official identification requirements when moved:
- They are used as the mode of transportation (horseback, horse and buggy) for travel to another location and then returned directly to the original location.
- They are moved from the farm or stable for veterinary medical examination or treatment and returned to the same location without change in ownership.
- They are moved directly from a location in one State through another State to a second location in the original State.
- They are moved between shipping and receiving States or Tribes with another form of identification as agreed upon by animal health officials in the shipping and receiving States or Tribes.
Official Identification Requirements
- All poultry are required to have official identification to cross state lines unless noted below
Official Identification Devices
Leg Bands
| All poultry that requires official ID
|
Group/Lot Identification Number(GIN)
| All poultry when a GIN is allowed
|
Poultry moving interstate are exempt from the official identification requirements when:
- The shipment of poultry is from a hatchery to a redistributor or poultry grower
- The shipment is from a redistributor to a poultry grower and the person responsible for receiving the animal maintains a record of the supplier of the animal(s)
- The poultry are identified as agreed upon by the States or Tribes involved in the movement
Official Identification Requirements
- All sexually intact sheep of any age when leaving the origin farm if not in slaughter channels
- All sheep over 18 months of age in slaughter channels even if not sexually intact
- All sheep and goats of any age, whether sexually intact or not for show or exhibition purposes
Official Identification Devices
AIN Tag approved for use in sheep and goats
| All sheep and goats
|
Electronic Implant Device with an AIN number starting with 840
| All sheep and goats when flocks are registered with USDA
|
NUES 8-digit Tag
| All sheep and goats
|
Location-Based Numbering System Tag
| All sheep and goats
|
Flock-Based Numbering System Tag (Scrapie Tags)
| All sheep and goats
|
Flock-backed Numbering System Tattoo
| All sheep and goats NOT in slaughter channels, livestock markets, or buying stations
|
Breed Register Tattoos
| All sheep and goats when registered with a registered breed association
|
Official Serial Number Devices
| All sheep and goats with approval from State and USDA officials
|
USDA Approved Backtags
| Sheep and goats moving directly to slaughter when the backtag is applied within 3 inches of the poll on the head or neck
|
Sheep moving interstate are allowed to be moved with a group/lot identification (GIN) and an owner/hauler statement when:
- Sheep and goats are under 18 months and in slaughter cannels
- Animals are moving to a USDA approved livestock facility
- Animals are moving for grazing between two locations owned or leased by the flock owner and those locations are recorded with the National Scrapie Database.
Official Identification Requirements
- All swine need official individual identification to move across state lines unless they qualify to use group/lot identification (GIN)
Official Identification Devices
AIN RFID White Button Tag
| All swine
|
AIN Visual Tag
| All swine
|
NUES Metal Clip Silver Bright Tag
| All swine
|
Location-Based Numbering System Tag
| All swine
|
Official Swine Tattoos
| Only for swine moving to slaughter. Only when requested and approved in writing by USDA
|
4+ Character Tattoos
| Slaughter swine only. Not allowed on slaughter sows or boars or breeding sows or boars
|
| Ear Notching | All swine if the notching has been recorded with a purebred registry association
|
Tattoos on Ear or Inner Flank
| All swine if the tattoo is registered with a swine registry association
|
Premises Identification Number (PIN) Tag or Tattoo
| Slaughter and feeder swine only. The premises number must be registered to the premises where the swine were born
|
USDA Approved Backtag
| Only for swine moving to slaughter
|
Swine may be moved using group identification (GIN) if:
- They were born on the same premises; they were raised on the same premises where they were born; they are moved in a group directly to a slaughtering establishment from the place where they were raised;
- They are not mixed with swine from any other premises between the time they are born and the time they arrive at the slaughtering establishment, and
- They are slaughtered one after another as a group and not mixed with other swine at slaughter; or approved identification is applied to the swine after entry into the slaughtering establishment.
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