Official Swine Ear Tags Swine Identificatin 101: Understanding Swine Ear Tag Requirements Due t a cntinued emphasis n livestck traceability within state and federal agencies and the livestck industry, the American Berkshire Assciatin (ABA), Certified Pedigreed Swine (CPS) and Team Purebred (TP) nw requires all animals being exhibited at ABA/CPS r TP events be identified with an fficial, permanently-numbered ear tag. The fllwing infrmatin is designed t help answer questins abut what is cnsidered an fficial ear tag and hw t btain these tags. 1. What is a federally apprved ear tag? An fficial ear tag is a surce f animal identificatin that, with accurate mvement recrds, prvides the ability t trace animals t their rigin. This capability is critical in the event f an animal disease emergency t help lcate what pints the animal has been in cntact with. Anyne wh purchases federally apprved ear tags will be required t submit their premises identificatin number when rdering. The premises ID number will then be recrded in a database and assciated with the ear tag numbers frm this purchase. 2. Why are the ABA/CPS/TP requiring all animals t be tagged with federal ear tags? The ABA/CPS/TP wrk diligently t cmply with swine health regulatins fr shws and sales hsted acrss the United States. Each state in which the ABA/CPS/TP hsts events has regulatins fr animal health and the identificatin f swine that mve acrss state lines t cme t shws Sme states may als have additinal regulatins fr swine being transprted fr shws and sales. These regulatins vary frm state t state. Federally-apprved ear tags allw swine exhibitrs at ABA/CPS/TP shws as well as purchasers f hgs at ABA/CPS sales t best meet the needs f these diverse requirements fr each state. 3. What is Premises Identificatin? Premises identificatin (premises ID) is part f the Animal Disease Traceability Framewrk (ADT) that is designed t help identify animals t the lcatins they have be raised n r passed thrugh during their lives This number alng with accurate mvement recrds can serve as a critical piece f infrmatin in quickly tracing back an animal t a lcatin in the event f an animal health emergency. When registering a premises ID, the prducer s cntact infrmatin (name, address, phne fr primary and secndary cntacts) will be recrded. 4. Hw d I btain a premises ID number? Obtaining a premises ID number is typically a very simple prcess that invlves cntacting yur state animal health agency. Individuals can find their respective state s cntact infrmatin by clicking here and accessing the list f state cntacts. 5. What shuld be n my fficial swine ear tags t be able t shw at an ABA/CPS/TP shw? Althugh there are a few different ptins fr federally apprved swine ear tags, the key cmpnents required are listed belw and tags shuld be USDA apprved: A. A unique number fr each animal: This wuld mean that each tag yu purchase ends in a different number s that each animal has a tag that is unique t them. Think f this as the animal s first name.
B. Tamper prf and permanently numbered: Tamper-prf, permanentlynumbered tags will be prduced with the numbers permanently printed n the tag during prductin, as ppsed t receiving a blank tag and writing an identificatin number n the tag. They can nly be used nce and shuld nt be remved. C. US shield emblem: Federally-apprved swine ear tags will pssess a small US lg. 6. What kind f federally apprved tag shuld I purchase fr swine that will attend ABA/CPS/TP events? There is a variety f ear tag ptins that meet all criteria required t be cnsidered acceptable frms f ID fr ABA/CPS/TP shws. The mst cmmn type f fficial ear tag used in animals shwn at ABA/CPS/TP shws is an 840 ear tag. 840 Tags are als called AIN Tags which stands fr Animal Identificatin Number 7. What is an 840 ear tag? 840 ear tags are a great ptin fr swine being shwn at ABA/CPS/TP events. 840 tags cmply with the requirements f the Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) framewrk fr bth visual and electrnic identificatin. These tags are recgnized in a standardized infrmatin system between federal, state and industry fficials. Each tag cntains 15 digits and will begin with the numbers 840 (the USA cuntry cde). The remaining 12 digits n the tag are unique t the individual animal. 840 tags cme in a variety f shapes, sizes and clrs (rectangular shape, rund-buttn shape, etc) but each are accepted frms f fficial ID. Depending n the size and shape f the tag, additinal infrmatin may be printed n the bttm f the tag, such as an additinal management number fr the animal r the prducer s premises ID number. 8. Hw d I purchase 840 ear tags? 840 ear tags can be purchased thrugh authrized ear tag distributrs. Many f these distributrs have the ability fr yu t purchase tags thrugh their nline stres. When purchasing 840 tags, the purchaser will be required t submit their premises ID number. The tag distributr will then cnfirm that the premises ID number given is accurate. If there is an issue with the premises ID number, the prducer will be cntacted t crrect the issue. Once the premises ID number f the tag purchaser is validated, the premises ID will be recrded in a database with the tag numbers that are being purchased. This is hw the traceability cmpnent f the federal tags becmes effective. Keep in mind, it may take several days fr yur tag rder t be received, prcessed, shipped and delivered. 9. Can I purchase 840 ear tags frm my veterinarian? Yur veterinarian may be an ptin t btain 840 ear tags. Hwever they are nt a stckable tag, meaning that each time yu rder 840 ear tags, yu must prvide yur premises ID s that it is specific t the ear tags yu are purchasing. This can nly be dne thrugh an authrized ear tag dealer. Therefre, if yu are purchasing ear tags thrugh yur veterinarian, yur vet will fllw the same prcess that yu wuld, when purchasing tags thrugh an authrized tag manager and dealer. Yur veterinarian wuld require yu t prvide yur premises ID number t make a purchase frm the ear tag seller. 10. Des my premises ID have t be printed n my 840 ear tag? Althugh sme 840 ear tags d prvide enugh rm t print the prducers premises ID n the bttm prtin f the tag, this is nt a requirement fr animal s being shwn at ABA/CPS/TP shws. AN 840 Tag with a PIN is nt equivalent t the Official PIN Tag that is being required a cnditin f sale by the majrity f packers that harvest sw and bars
The 840 ear tag will prvide the capability f retrieving the premises ID assciated with the animal in a natinal database, since this infrmatin is recrded when the tags are purchased. 11. What is the difference between a visual 840 ear tag and a RFID 840 ear tag? Visual 840 ear tags d nt have any electrnic capability and are nly used as a surce f visual identificatin. Visual tags may ften be less expensive cmpared t electrnic tags. Electrnic Identificatin tags, als knwn as Radi Frequency Identificatin ear tags (RFID ear tags) can be utilized t stre and track infrmatin thrugh a database using a readable scanner (wand). This prvides mre ptins fr recrd keeping n perfrmance recrds fr prducers. 840 tags DO NOT have t be RFID capable t be accepted at NSR r NJSA shws. Bth visual 840 tags and RFID 840 tags are acceptable frms f identificatin. The key is that the tag is an 840 tag. Example 1: 840 rectangular ear tag withut any management number r premises ID printed n bttm. This is the standard 840 ear tag layut. This wuld be an acceptable frm f ID since each tag still pssesses a unique 12 digit number fr each animal. Example 2: 840 ear tag with management number printed n bttm. In this case, the tag purchaser chse t add additinal numbers t the blank sectin f the tag at the bttm fr management purpses.
Example 3: 840 ear tag with premises ID number printed n bttm. Anther ptin is t have yur premises ID printed n the blank sectin f the tag. Example 4: 840 rund buttn ear tag 12. Will 840 ear tags als meet the new ear tag requirement put in place as f January 1, 2015 fr cull sws and bars being shipped fr harvest? The answer is n. As f Jan. 1, 2015, fficial Premises Identificatin Tags (PIN Tags) are the nly tags that meet packer requirement fr identificatin f the sws and bars they purchase frm market channels. Fr mre infrmatin n PIN tags, visit the Natinal Prk Bard resurce by clicking here. 13. What is the crrect tag that shuld be used when culling breeding stck and shipping fr harvest?
The fficial PIN Tag is the nly fficial ear tag that meets packer requirements fr the identificatin f the breeding stck they purchase in market channels. Nt t be cnfused with 840 ear tags, PIN tags are SPECIFICALLY designed fr culled breeding animals that are ging t be shipped fr harvest nly. Many prducers use them as their management tag as well. PIN tags can be btained by cntacting an authrized ear tag dealer. When rdering PN Tags, the prducer will be required t prvide their premises identificatin number. This will be validated and printed n each tag. A management number can als be printed n the tag if a prducer wants t use the tag fr management purpses. 14. Can I use my PIN tags fr my shwpigs as a frm f fficial identificatin? Official PIN tags are nt intended fr use in shwpigs that are ging t be exhibited at ABA/CPS/TP events because they are specifically designed fr use in breeding stck prir t them entering harvest channels. Official PIN Tags cannt be remved by law and are used t assist Animal Health Authrities in getting back t the farm the animal came frm when an investigatin is needed because f a residue r animal health issue. If this ccurs, the persn t whm the PIN Tag was registered will be cntacted t assist in the investigatin and prductin and sales recrds must be made readily available t Animal Health Authrities upn request 1 and must cnfrm t applicable regulatins. 1 Animal Health Prtectin Act, Sectin 10408 Example 5: Premises Identificatin Tags (PIN Tag) are designed fr use in breeding swine being shipped t enter harvest channels. 15. Can I cntinue t use the metal band ear tags (NUES ear tags) as fficial identificatin fr hgs ging t ABA/CPS/TP shws? The ABA/CPS/TP will still allw exhibitrs t use NUES tags if they chse t. These ear tags ften called silver r brite tags and are a part f the Natinal Unifrm Eartagging System (NUES). There are metal and plastic versins f these tags. Often times, exhibitrs may btain the metal band shaped tags fr swine. 16. Where can I purchase NUES tags? NUES tags have histrically been used fr disease testing and interstate mvement. State and Tribes administer the distributin f NUES ear tags. They may elect t restrict
their use t Accredited Veterinarians r make them available direct t prducers as well as thrugh veterinarians. Prducers must cntact their State r Tribe animal health fficial t find ut if NUES ear tags are available in their area. Example 6: Plastic NUES tag frm Allflex. Example 7: Metal NUES tag.