Farm Animal

Download as pdf or txt
Download as pdf or txt
You are on page 1of 9

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,

Table 1: Letter identification system.


1990 – Z 1994 – D 1998 – H 2002 – M 2006 – S 2010 – X
1991 – A 1995 – E 1999 – J 2003 – N 2007 – T 2011 – Y
1992 – B 1996 – F 2000 – K 2004 – P 2008 – U 2012 – Z
1993 – C 1997 – G 2001 – L 2005 – R 2009 – W 2013 – A
Source: Beef Cattle Identification Methods. Nelson et al.

and source of replacement breeding respectively. Such a system is shown


stock, determines which system(s) to in Table 1. The letters O, Q, V, and I
choose. When selecting forms of are not used, they could be mistaken as
identification, consider the application numbers. This leaves 22 letters, which
methods for each type, along with when combined with numbers can form
visibility from a distance, equipment the basis for individual animal identifi-
needed for application, cost, perma- cation. This system ensures a unique
number will not be replicated over a 22-
year period. For example, an animal with
the ID number L10 or L010 was the 10th
animal born into the herd in 2001.

Table 2: Number identification system


Year of Birth Birth Order ID
1995 1st 5001
2002 10th 2510
2011 100th 1100

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

vidual pig number. Ear notching can also


be used in other animal species, but it is
not utilized as widely as it is in the swine
industry. Figure 2: Ear notching system used by the
purebred swine associations of the United
States.
There are many systems of ear notching, To notch ears, use an appropriate sized
but when using the system of ear notching notcher, according the age of the animal.
required by the purebred swine associa- It is important to keep the equipment in
tions of the United States, the litter num- disinfectant to prevent infection. Ear
ber is notched in the pig's right ear, and notching causes minimal stress to the pigs,
the individual pig number is notched in and they can be returned immediately
the pig's left ear (See Figure 2). The back to the crate. The notches will bleed,
notches from the right and left ear should but not heavily, and a scab will form in
combine to give each pig a unique identi- about a day. The notches will be com-
fication number. The notches are num- pletely healed in about a week. It is
bered from the bottom of the ear, with the usually easiest to notch ears at the same
number one being next to the head. time as other pig processing procedures. 3
Multiplying this number by three will Registered pigs must be notched within 7
give the next notch number (i.e., 3, 9, 27) days of birth.
which is adjacent to the area where the Ear Tags
previous notch was located. Start at the
bottom of the ear next to the head and Ear tags are another common form of
continue to the top of the ear, then work identification used in all species. A
back toward the head. The exception to number of companies make and sell ear
this is the tip of the right ear, which is the tags and corresponding applicators. The
position for the 81-notch. flexible, plastic tags can be bought pre-
Each notch, with the exception of the numbered (Figure 3), or they can be
81-notch, can only have two notches for purchased as blank tags. The producer
any single number. For example, a pig can use ear tag ink to number them ac-
identified as 28-3 would be the third pig cordingly. The tags come in a variety of
from the twenty-eighth litter. This pig colors and sizes. Selection depends on the
would have one notch each at the 27 and age of the animal and the environment
1position on the right ear, and one notch where the animal lives.
at the 3 position on the left ear. A pig
identified as 18-2 would have two notches
each at the 9 and 1 positions on the
appropriate ear.
Ann Yager

Figure 4: Diagram illustrating the 2nd and


3rd ribs of the ear.
The tags are pierced through the
animal's ear, and allow for an animal to be
identified from the front and the back, if
Ann Yager

the tag is numbered on both sides. Tags


should be installed between the second
and third cartilage rib (Figure 4) of one or
Figure 3: Ear tagging pliers and plastic, both ears, using an applicator gun that
pre-numbered tag.
chilled branding iron kills the cells that
produce color pigment in the hair
follicles, but does not kill the growth
follicles. After freeze branding, white or
colorless follicles are produced in the
branded region, which results in a
permanent brand (Figure 5).
Freeze branding irons come in various
sizes and are usually made of copper,
copper alloy (brass), or bronze, because of
their temperature holding capacity. Some

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

follicles in the branded area, or could


cause an "8" to look like a "3." Freeze
Figure 7: Chilled branding irons being brands are permanent and easily visible
applied to the rump area. from a distance. Disadvantages of freeze
branding include the permanency of this
3) has elapsed, remove the iron, and place method and the fact that a brand can never
it back in the liquid nitrogen. Irons that be removed or replaced, and the up front
have just been used will need adequate costs of purchasing all the needed materi-
time in the liquid nitrogen for re-cooling als and equipment.
before being used again.
Electronic Identification
After the application, the area will begin
to swell, and will continue to be swollen There are many different forms of
for 48-72 hours. About 20 to 30 days electronic identification used in the world
after the swelling has subsided, the brand today. Of these, the most common include
will form a scab. Once the scab has electronic ear tags, microchips, and
disappeared, white or colorless hair will electronic collars. When using electronic
begin to grow in the branded region, and ear tags, it is best to use an additional
by 3 months after branding, new hair method of identification, in case the tag
growth should be complete. The success becomes lost.
of the freeze brand depends on several Microchips are a form of identification
factors: the age of the animal, hair color, that involves the implanting of an elec-
tronic chip, with a miniature radio tran- and can be beneficial in the milking parlor
sponder and antenna, under the skin of an by providing and recording valuable
animal. The most common implant site is information during each milking.
near the neck, between the shoulder Electronic identification systems will
blades, or near the base of the ear. The become more refined and industry ac-
transponder can also come in the form of cepted in the future. These systems have
a bolus that can be ingested by ruminant a distinct advantage of being able to store
animals. A benefit of using microchips is the increasing amount of data the progres-
that they are permanent and relatively sive animal manager has to interpret.
painless to implant. Drawbacks to micro- Neck Chains
chips include: the possibility that the chip
6 may migrate into the meat of a market Neck chains, or ropes, are used as a
animal; specialized equipment is needed common method of identification in dairy
to read and implant the chips, and they are cattle. The neck chains have a numbered
not readable from a distance. tag attached that corresponds to that
Electronic collars are similar to neck animal's identification number (see Figure
chains, except they have an attached tag 8). The chain or rope should be posi-
with an electronic number that can be tioned around the animal's neck, tight
read by a scanner. Electronic collars are enough not to slip over their head, but
easy to use, but they can become a nui- loose enough to allow easy breathing and
sance and can cause choking if they are growth for young animals. They are easy
not adjusted properly to the growth of the to apply, painless to the animal, and can
animal or if they become hooked on be seen fairly well. However, if growing
protrusions. animals are not inspected frequently, the
With each of these electronic ID meth- chain can become too tight. Chains can
ods, a scanner interprets the radio signal also become caught on protrusions that
from the tag or implant as a numerical choke the animal. Furthermore, the
code, which brings up a corresponding chains are not permanent, and can be hard
computer file for that particular animal. to see when animals are grouped together.
Thus, a production history can be located Nose Printing
quickly by scanning the electronic chip. Nose printing is used as a form of
Electronic identification can be used to permanent identification, and is most
automatically dispense feed to animals, commonly used for the sale and exhibition
of sheep and cattle. Nose printing is
useful, because it cannot be modified in
any way, unlike many other forms of
identification. Nose printing is similar to
finger printing, in that the lines and dotted
pattern from a nose print are specific for
each animal, and can be recorded by
making an ink print. When two prints of
the same animal are compared, there must
Ann Yager

be six identifiable matching lines or dots


common to both prints (see Figure 9 and
Figure 10 for examples of acceptable
Figure 8: Dairy cow with a neck chain and
prints). Printing is performed by restrain-
corresponding numbered tag.
ing the animal's head, either in a head gate
branding or hot branding
can be used to print a
number on the animal's
back using paint. This
method of identification
may be useful in situa-
tions where animals are
Figure 9: Three acceptable nose prints of the same sheep, assigned to specific pens
illustrating similar lines and dotted patterns. or crates and need to be
returned to the same pen
or crate after they are
turned out. Examples are a farrowing or 7
gestation barn, a lambing pen, or livestock
shows. Paint branding can also be useful
when offspring need to be identified with
their parents.
For exhibition or sales, paint branding is
useful as a form of temporary identifica-
tion because it is easily visible, and it is
used to identify the animal in the sale
directory. Prospective buyers can evaluate
their selections before purchasing. During
most livestock sales or shows, animals are
paint branded as they are weighed-in.
Figure 10: Acceptable beef The paint numbers are usually applied
nose print.
from the left side of the animal for consis-
tency, in reading the number from the
or with a halter, and placing a minimal animal's head to its tail. Special paint is
amount of ink on the animal's dried nose. poured into a shallow pan, lined with
The ink is then transferred to an index burlap or a similar material to soak up the
card, supported by a wooden block or stiff paint. The appropriate numbered irons are
backing, by pressing the card against the pressed in the paint soaked burlap, and
animal's nose. If the prints are readable, then applied perpendicular to the animal's
they should be allowed to dry, and clearly backbone, by pushing down firmly and
identified with the owner's name and the with a slight rocking motion, so that the
animal's identification number. Problems entire brand comes in contact with the
associated with nose printing include: the animal. Using too much paint causes the
use of too much ink, a build-up of mois- excess to run off the animal's back. This
ture on the animal's nose, and not holding produces an illegible brand. It is impor-
the animal still, which can result in a tant to use the correct brand numbers and
smeared, unreadable print. to be alert for the animal's movements, to
prevent smearing the brand.
Paint Branding When using a 6 or a 9, it is necessary to
Paint branding is a temporary form of underline the number using the bottom of
identification. It is sometimes used along the number '1' branding iron, to prevent
with a form of permanent identification. errors in reading the identification num-
Irons similar to those used in freeze ber. Between brands, the branding irons
should be allowed to hang to allow any grows, the tattoo will fade and become
excess paint to drip into the drip pan. spread out. Swine can be easily tattooed
Once all branding is complete, the brand- at a young age, but as the animal's ear or
ing irons should be cleaned, removing as carcass grows, so will the identification
much paint as possible. number.
To begin tattooing an animal, the animal
Tattooing
must be restrained so that firm, constant
Tattooing is another form of permanent pressure can be applied until the needles
identification that is commonly used in all on the dies have protruded deep enough
species and involves imprinting an identi- into the skin, to leave a permanent tattoo.
fication number/letter combination into When preparing the letters/numbers on
8 the skin of the animal using indelible ink. the pliers, they will appear backwards as
The tattooing instrument uses number/ you look at them. It is usually a good idea
letter dies made of sharp, needlelike to check the dies on a piece of paper
projections that are secured on the appli- before application to the animal. Next,
cation pliers. The ink is usually applied to locate the area to be tattooed, clean the
the tattoo site after it has been disinfected area with alcohol, and apply the tattoo ink
with alcohol. Using the pliers, the identi- to the area. Squeeze the handles of the
fication number is pierced into the skin, tattooing pliers over the tattoo site making
and additional ink is rubbed into the sure they are compressed completely.
punctures. After healing, the permanent After application, rub additional ink into
tattoo will be visible. For cattle, goats, the piercings. For carcass tattoos in swine,
sheep, and swine, the tattoo is placed a tattoo hammer is used, and is swung
above the first rib of the ear so it does not toward the tattoo site with enough force,
interfere with the use of ear tags. Horses so that the needles will penetrate the skin.
are often tattooed on the inside surface of The animal can be released after the
their lips. Sheep can be tattooed on the number has been recorded. Tattoo equip-
inside of their flank, and swine can be ment should be disinfected between each
tattooed on the shoulder for carcass use.
identification during slaughter. Most One disadvantage of tattooing is that the
purebred animals are required to be animal must be restrained to apply and
registered and permanently identified by read the identification number. In dark-
their breed associations. Tattooing is the pigmented ears, the number is almost
best permanent method of identification unreadable, unless a flashlight is placed
for registered animals because it does not behind the ear. Therefore, it is best to use
harm the animal's appearance or reduce green tattoo ink in dark pigmented ears. It
its value in any way. is also a good idea to use another form of
The best time to tattoo depends on the easily visible identification to accompany
specie of animal. Cattle are easiest to the tattooing method.
tattoo when they are young calves. Goats
and sheep should be tattooed at about 6
months, when the ear tissue is finished
growing, and there is more space to apply
the tattoo. Horses should be tattooed as
late as possible because as the animal
Summary
Accurate animal identification systems
are the basis for data collection and many
necessary management practices. Identi-
fication of animals within a herd/flock is
valuable to producers and managers to
make logical decisions based on an
animal's records.
Animal identification methods differ,
and each has its own benefits. All meth-
ods can be useful when used in the correct
9
manner and under the right conditions.
Oftentimes, more than one method is used
for maximum accuracy. With these
stipulations in mind, it is best to determine
the needs and expected uses of animal
identification on an operation, before
choosing the best method(s) of identifica-
tion.
References
Battaglia, Richard A., Handbook of
Livestock Management. 3rd ed. New
Jersey: Prentice-Hall, Inc., 2001.
L & H Manufacturing Company, Freeze
Branding: Operating Instructions for L &
H Freeze Branders.
Nelson, L.A., W.L. Singleton, T.M.
Lutz, Beef Cattle Identification Methods.
Purdue University Animal Sciences
Department.
Rusk, Clinton P., Electronic Identifica-
tion of 4-H Livestock Projects. Purdue
University 4-H Youth Department.

New 12/02
It is the policy of the Purdue University Cooperative Extension Service, David C. Petritz, Director, that all persons shall have equal opportunity and access to the
programs and facilities without regard to race, color, sex, religion, national origin, age, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, or disability.
Purdue University is an Affirmative Action employer.
This material may be available in alternative formats.
1-888-EXT-INFO
http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia

You might also like