Identification

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THE NEW MEXICO LIVESTOCK IDENTIFICATION

AND TRACKING SYSTEM

By: Ron Parker, PhD

New Mexico Livestock Board

The New Mexico Livestock Identification and Tracking System is the state’s effort to provide a system for tracing livestock forward and backward through the production and marketing systems. The long-term goal of the USDA proposed National Animal Identification System (NAIS) is to provide animal health officials with the capability to identify all livestock and premises that have had direct contact with a disease of concern within 48 hours after discovery. The NAIS is now voluntary, so producers and other stakeholders can participate in the design, development, and testing of the system to ensure that practical solutions evolve. However, to achieve the goal of 48-hour tracebacks, all producers and affected industry segments would have to participate eventually. USDA has established industry benchmarks that suggest complete producer compliance by 2009 if the program is to remain voluntary.

The objective of this publication is to provide an overview of the evolving livestock identification system under development by the New Mexico Livestock Board.

What are the standards under which the plan was developed?

The NAIS is a framework for implementation of the system. Specific information concerning the program can be found on the Internet at the websites of the National Institute of Animal Agriculture, www.animalagriculture.org, and the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, http://www.usda.gov/nais .

The NAIS is intended to identify all animals covered by the plan and track them as they come into contact with, or are commingled with, animals from other premises. Simply put, the plan is intended to identify all other animals to which a diseased animal may have had contact. The goal is to be able to track a sick animal or exposed group of animals back to the herd or premises that is the most likely source of infection within a 48-hour period.

What animals are covered by the plan?

Eleven species of animals are covered by the NAIS. They are: bison, beef cattle, dairy
cattle, swine, sheep, goats, camelids (alpacas and llamas), horses, cervids (deer and elk),
poultry (eight species including game birds), and aquaculture.

Who will administer the program?

The State Veterinarian’s office at the New Mexico Livestock Board has administrative responsibilities for the program in New Mexico.

Is the program mandatory?

No, the program is voluntary at this time. The objective is to involve enough animals to test identification and trace back systems, to identify successes and problems with various systems, and to modify systems to address these problems. For the ultimate system to work effectively, full compliance is needed. It is anticipated that industry and market forces will eventually drive the process towards full compliance. USDA has announced that the target date for complete producer compliance is January, 2009, and that if necessary to achieve that goal a mandatory system could be imposed.

What must a livestock producer do to participate in the program?

The first step is to obtain a premises registration number. This unique number represents a describable entity in which an animal is located or through which an animal moves. The describable entity may represent a farm, ranch, dairy, grazing allotment, auction market, feedlot, slaughter plant or a location where an animal is exhibited or performs (fairs, rodeos, etc.). The premises registration number is a seven digit number that is a combination of numbers and letters.

How do I obtain a premises registration number?

Premises numbers are assigned by the USDA National Premises Allocation System. The system insures that each premises identification number is unique and identifies a unique and identifiable location. The preferred location identifier in the New Mexico plan is GPS (Global Positioning System) coordinates.

Premises registration forms may be requested by:

a. Internet: www.newmexicolivestockboard.com

Access the New Mexico Livestock Board Internet site. Click on “National Animal Identification Program”, then select ”Premises Registration in NM”, then “NM Premises Registration Forms”.

b. Mail: Forms are also available from the New Mexico Livestock Board or from your local County Extension office. Mail completed forms to:

The New Mexico Livestock Board Attention: Ron Parker
300 San Mateo, NE
Albuquerque, NM 87108

Ron Parker
Box 30003, MSC 3AE, NMSU
Las Cruces, NM 88003
Phone: 505-646-1709

What if I own or manage multiple cattle operations in different locations?

This is a question that each manager must answer individually. Whenever possible, premises identification should be based on the physical address of the facility where animals are kept. In the strictest sense it is not necessary to identify every piece of ground that may contain animals with a separate Premises ID Number if these locations contain no facilities and are only transient grazing locations that may often change. However, if locations are “substantial”, and harbor animals for considerable lengths of time, or if animals are commingled with animals from other locations, then it will probably be advantageous to have separate premises identification numbers for each location.

Why isn’t it acceptable to simply use registered ownership brands?

Ownership brands are not unique identification systems. Many animals cross state lines during the production and marketing process. Many states do not have brand laws, and the same brands are often used in different states or in different counties in a state. Also brands do not lend themselves well to electronic data storage devices and tracing brand paper trials is a slow and cumbersome process.

The New Mexico Livestock Board has a goal of allowing interstate movement of most livestock under the current brand inspection system. This process may be similar to the “group-lot” system described as part of the NAIS. However, livestock transported to other states would be subject to the rules of the state entered.

Will ownership brands still be required in New Mexico?

Yes. State laws concerning branding of livestock have not changed. The New Mexico Livestock Board will continue to administer the state brand registration and brand inspection process. Since individual animal identification will only be required when the animal enters the market stream, brands will still be necessary to prove ownership.

What forms of identification will be used?

Species working groups involved in the program are developing recommendations for each species. The cattle working group has recommended the use of electronic tags (Radio Frequency Identification technology, RFID) placed in the left ear. The equine working group has recommended use of microchips. Recommendations for other species are being developed by appropriate species working groups.

Who is responsible for applying identification tags to animals and when?

The NAIS suggested standards state that animals must be identified when they leave the premises of origin. The premises of origin is the ranch or farm on which the animal was born, or on which the animal resides when the plan is implemented. Responsibility for applying identification tags will be the responsibility of the animal owners.

How and where does a producer obtain tags?

Tags will be obtained from official tag distributers which are commercial sources. When the system becomes operational, purchasers of RFID tags will probably be required to have premises registration numbers. The 15-digit individual identification numbers on each tag will be recorded as assigned to a particular premises.

Must I purchase an electronic reader or other equipment to participate?

No. The NAIS states that when the program becomes mandatory, the livestock producer will be required to identify animals as or before they leave the premises of origin. Therefore the only requirement to the producer will be the equipment to apply identification devices to the animal. Producers who choose to use RFID devices for in-herd management may need to purchase additional equipment.

Who will record movement of animals?

In New Mexico, it is anticipated that all tracking and reporting of animal movements will be the ultimate responsibility of the New Mexico Livestock Board inspectors or their representatives. In general animals will need to be identified when they leave a premises due to change of ownership, movement to non-contiguous grazing pastures where livestock are commingled with animals from other premises, or are destined for a livestock market, feedlot, or slaughter. Again, it is anticipated that brand inspectors shall perform the reading, recording and reporting to the database, but markets, veterinarians, other Livestock Board representatives or third party service providers can also read, record and report animal events.

Can private enterprises report movement of animals?

Yes. It is anticipated that individual entities such as ranches, feedlots, and other livestock management enterprises can report movement of animals, particularly movement of animals that does not require brand inspector services. Reporting can be accomplished either by electronic means (use of readers and electronic data storage devices) or simply by use of a paper trail. Data shall be submitted either to local livestock inspectors or directly to the New Mexico Livestock Board. Data reported may include owner, individual animal identification numbers, premises identifier(s), GPS coordinates, brand, and date. Such reporting does not replace current legal responsibilities for reporting animal movements.

Can I remove official tags from purchased animals?
No. On November 10, 2004 USDA published an interim rule that prohibitsthe removal of official identification devices, including those on livestock imported from other countries.

What if animals lose their official identification tags or the tag becomes unreadable?

Users cooperating in the New Mexico program agree to retag any animals with lost tags and report the old (if known) and new tag numbers to the New Mexico Livestock Board database.

Are there provisions for movement of groups or lots of animals under one identification number?

Yes. Provisions are made for group/lot identification of groups of animals that are managed as one unit as they progress through the production/marketing system. If group managed animals become commingled with other animals, all animals must then be identified individually.

Who is responsible for tracking animals that cross state lines?

Tracking of animals that move across state lines becomes the responsibility of the agency responsible for tracking animals in the state entered. Should traceback of an animal become necessary, both states will feed the traceback information to the USDA as requested.

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NOTE: Information included in this publication is deemed to be accurate at printing. The New Mexico Livestock Identification and Tracking System is a dynamic pilot project. Necessary changes may be made as the project progresses.