Farm Animal
Farm Animal
Farm Animal
AS-556-W
Management @Purdue
Methods of Livestock Identification
Michael Neary, Extension Animal Scientist
Ann Yager, Animal Sciences Student
Animal identification is the basis for nence, and how easy or difficult the
keeping accurate production records method is to apply. Two different
of the herd/flock. Individual animal methods should be used to assure
identification allows producers to permanent identification. Once a
keep records on an animal's parentage, system has been selected, it is impor-
birth date, production records, health tant to be consistent with providing
history, and a host of other important each animal a unique and permanent
management information. Accurate identification number that matches with
records provide the producer with each method used. Be careful not to
enough information to make indi- duplicate numbers over a minimum of a
vidual or whole herd/flock manage- ten-year period.
ment decisions. In many instances, When an animal is born/purchased, it
the producer needs to be able to should be identified immediately with
quickly identify an animal. A suc- only one unique number, which will
cessful identification system makes serve as its identification number until
this task more efficient. Identification it departs from the herd/flock.
Purdue University is also important to indicate owner- Numbering Systems
ship of a particular animal, or to There are many numbering systems
Department of indicate the herd/flock of origin. that can be used to identify animals in a
Animal Sciences There are many identification herd. One of the most commonly used
systems, but selection should be based and highly recommended systems uses
on the method that best fits an a combination of letters and numbers,
operation's needs. Factors such as size designating birth year and birth order,
of the operation, type of records kept,
Ann Yager
2015 50th 5050
2 2021 150th 1650
Figure 1: A pig after removal of a v-shaped
Another system, which can be used for notch at the 3-position on the right ear.
smaller herds of less than 500, consists of
using only numbers to indicate birth year Ear notching involves removing V-
and birth order. The ID number is made shaped portions of the pig's ear that
up using the last digit of the birth year as correspond to a specific litter number and
the first number of the identification also an individual pig number from that
number. The next three numbers of the ID litter. Not all operations find it necessary
correspond to the birth order. To avoid to notch ears at processing, and some may
duplication in this system, use _001 -- only notch a litter number, or the week of
_499 for the first ten years (from 1990- birth. It is necessary to notch a pig's ears
2000), and _500 -- _999 for the second for litter and individual numbers when the
ten years (from 2001-2010), rotating pig needs to be recognized separately from
every ten years. For example, in Table 2, other pigs. Pigs being kept as replacement
the animals born in 1995, 2011, and 2015 breeding stock and for exhibition purposes
are identified using the last digit of their need to be ear notched. Ear tags are often
birth year, and the ending from _001 -- used in conjunction with ear notches in a
_499, depending on their birth order. The breeding herd.
animals born in 2002 and 2021 are identi-
fied using the last digit of their birth year,
followed by adding their birth order to a
number from _500 --_999, to get the last
three digits of their ID number.
Identification Methods
Ear Notching (Figure 1) Ear notching
is widely used in the swine industry as a
system of animal identification. There are
variations in systems, but all of them
identify a pig by litter number and indi-
Ann Yager
Ann Yager
4 recommended equipment and items to
have on hand include:
Figure 5: Freeze brand number ‘D98’ on • Holding chute for restraint of the
the rump. animal
• Container for liquid nitrogen or dry ice
corresponds to the type of ear tag being and
used. Ear tags are easy to use, flexible in alcohol
all types of weather, inexpensive, and • Electric clippers with a surgical blade
usually easy to read. There can also be • Grooming equipment for cleaning the
limitations with ear tags. They can be brand site
ripped from the ear, or become lost if not • Gloves
applied properly. Permanent marking ink • Squirt bottle with a solution of 95%
is used to number blank ear tags. How- isopropyl alcohol
ever, the ink can fade over time. It is • Branding irons
recommended that another method of • Timing device
identification be used along with ear tags.
Freeze Branding
Freeze branding is another method of
animal identification that allows for
animals to be identified from a greater
distance than with ear tags. Brands can
be read any time of the year. Freeze
branding, similar to hot branding,
involves the use of branding irons, with
letters and numbers, being chilled in Ann Yager
liquid nitrogen or dry ice and alcohol.
Upon application to the animal's hide, the
Figure 6: Branding irons soaking in a
wooden box filled with liquid nitrogen.
Table 3: Application times
Hair color Application time at weaning The branding procedure consists of
(Add 15 seconds for yearlings) cooling the irons in liquid nitrogen or dry
Black 45 seconds ice and alcohol, until they are ready for
Dark Red 1 minute use (Figure 6). The irons are ready for
Yellow 1 minute, 15 seconds use when the "boiling" of the liquid
White 2 minutes, 15 seconds surrounding the irons diminishes. While
the irons are being cooled, restrain the time of year, branding site, method of
animal in the squeeze chute, and begin application, and a little luck.
clipping the hair in the branding area, Older animals require an extended
usually in a rectangular shape, followed application time because the pigment-
by brushing or using a blower to remove producing hair follicle is harder to kill.
any loose hair or dirt. Apply the alcohol White animals also require an extended
over the clipped area. This allows for application time because you are actually
increased penetration of the cold through performing a bald brand, to kill the entire
the skin, and also removes some skin oils. hair follicle. This allows for the skin to be
Align the cooled branding iron over the seen as a brand, which provides a more
branding region, and apply with firm, visible brand for this color of animal. The
constant pressure, making sure the whole time of the year that the brand is applied 5
iron has contact with the skin, and re- affects how easily the pigmented cells are
mains in the same position (Figure 7). destroyed. During spring and fall, the hair
Start timing the length of the application, follicles are the most active, and therefore,
and when the appropriate time (see Table most easily destroyed.
The branding site can vary between the
shoulder, and the rump, with the rump
being more desirable due to its flat, mus-
cular characteristics. How well the brand
area is prepared, and how well the brand is
applied affects the clearness of the brand.
If a branding iron is moved during appli-
cation, or pressure is not applied equally
and firmly, the resulting brand will look
streaky or smudged due to colored hair
Ann Yager
New 12/02
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