RFID ear tags to be mandatory for all adult cattle in the US starting in November

The Minnesota Animal Board has announced that a new USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service Official Identification Rule will be formally implemented on 5 November 2024. The rule is designed to further promote the sustainable development of the livestock industry by introducing advanced electronic identification (EID) tagging technology, known as RFID tags, to improve livestock traceability and disease prevention and control.

The background to the new rules stems from the U.S. Department of Agriculture's (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection and Quarantine Service's (APHIS) continued focus on improving livestock traceability. In an effort to prevent the outbreak and spread of animal diseases, APHIS has established a series of new rules requiring the use of RFID tags to tag specific types of cattle. These include unneutered cattle and bison aged 18 months and older, all dairy cattle, and cattle used for exhibitions, rodeos and recreational activities.

Under the new rules, all cattle within the specified type and age categories will be required to wear an ear tag with a visual identification mark and an electronic RFID chip. These RFID tags are not only visually readable, but more importantly are able to electronically read the animal's information quickly and accurately. This means that when animals move around farms, processing plants or markets, the relevant authorities can quickly access their identity information for better tracking and management.

The use of RFID tags brings a number of advantages. Firstly, it improves the efficiency of animal identification and reduces the errors and disruptions associated with manual data entry. By reading tag information electronically, animal health officials can access the data they need more quickly to more effectively monitor and manage the health of livestock. Second, RFID tags facilitate disease prevention and control. When a disease is detected, veterinarians and animal health officials can quickly track the whereabouts of infected animals, find the source of the disease, and take effective measures to curb the spread of the disease. This not only reduces the impact of disease on farms and animals, but also reduces economic losses and helps maintain the stable development of the livestock industry.