Animal ID at a glance:
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Beef cattle under 18 months of age, unless they are moved interstate for shows, exhibits, rodeos or recreational events, are exempt from the official identification requirement in this rule. The specific traceability requirements for this group will be addressed in a separate rulemaking process.
Brands, tattoos and breed registration are accepted as official identification when accepted by shipping and receiving states or tribes.
Backtags may be used as an alternative to official eartags for cattle and bison moved directly to slaughter (for slaughter in 3 days).
Movement documentation, other than an Interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (ICVI), is accepted for all ages and classes of cattle when accepted by the shipping and receiving States or Tribes.
All livestock moved interstate to a custom slaughter facility are exempt from the traceability requirements.
The phase-out period for manufacturer-coded animal identification numbers (AINs) is extended from 12 months to 24 months from rule implementation to make the transition less burdensome for producers (phase out by March 11, 2015).
The definition of official eartag is revised by adding a new definition of official eartag shield. These changes will allow the state or tribal postal abbreviation or codes within the U.S. Route Shield in lieu of “U.S”.
The requirement for the maintenance of interstate movement records on or after March 11, 2013 for poultry and swine is two years and for cattle and bison, sheep and goats, cervids and equines is 5 years.
Any state, tribe, accredited veterinarian or other person/entity who distributes official identification devices must maintain a record for five years of the names and addresses of anyone to whom the devices are distributed.
The final rule creates a new section of the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) with species-specific identification requirements. The other sections of the CFR related to disease program requirements were revised as necessary to be consistent with the final traceability rule. While this final rule establishes minimum traceability requirements, the disease program regulations may contain additional, or more specific, requirements necessary to control or eliminate livestock disease. The disease program requirements supersede the minimum requirements of the final rule on traceability.
Beginning March 13, no more than one official eartag may be applied to an animal excepting: (1) the second tag bears the same official number as the existing tag (2); specific cases of need for intensified identification (3); 840 AIN tag with pre-existing NUES tag or official vaccination tag for Brucellosis-must maintain record of both tag numbers for five years (4); Brucellosis eartag with NUES number with record of application date and all eartag numbers for five years.
Official identification devices are not to be sold or otherwise transferred from the premises to which they were originally issued to another premises without authorization by the administrator or a state or tribal animal health official.
Cattle and bison moved interstate from the farm of origin for veterinary medical examination or treatment and returned to the farm of origin without a change in ownership do not require an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection for their movement.
