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USDA approves four extra ID tags
The US Department of Agriculture's Animal and Plant
Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has approved several new visual identification
tags: three individual animal identification 840 tags from Destron
Fearing/Digital Angel, where 840 represents the US country code, and one
premises identification tag from Allflex.
In USDA's National Animal Identification System
(NAIS), identification tags and devices are used to provide a greater level of
animal traceability in the event of an animal disease outbreak.
Traceability
“Animal
traceability during a disease outbreak is important to protecting this country's
livestock industry--and animal identification is a key component of
traceability,” said Bruce Knight, under secretary for marketing and regulatory
programmes.
“By providing producers with a wide variety of
approved identification devices, they can choose to identify their animals with
the device that works best for their operation, while at the same time
increasing traceability.”
The premises identification tag from Allflex of
Dallas, Texas, is designed for use in slaughter swine. There are now two
slaughter swine premises tag options available. With the addition of these four
new visual tags, producers participating in NAIS can choose from 26 different
devices made by 8 manufacturers.
More than just identificationThey have the option of visual
840 tags, RFID 840 tags, or RFID 840 injectable transponders for individual
animal identification of animals born in the US. The 840 tags can be used
for more than just identification--they may be used for animal health
programmes, movement records, marketing programmes, breed registries and genetic
programmes. The 840 tags can also be used to document an animal's origin
when meeting country-of-origin labelling requirements.
NAIS is a
modern, streamlined information system that helps producers and animal health
officials respond quickly and effectively to animal health events in the United
States. The programme consists of three parts: premises
registration, animal identification and tracing. So far, more than 487,670
premises across the country have been registered as part of the programme, and
more than 5 million 840 devices have been shipped from the
manufacturers.
Only APHIS-approved manufacturers are authorised to
manufacture official animal identification devices for use in NAIS.
Related Website
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NAIS
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APHIS
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