The process of animal identification involves maintaining records on particular farm animals or entire groups of these animals to track them efficiently from birth and onward. The purpose for using animal IDs has progressed from proving ownership to preventing theft to having the ability to quickly respond to concerns related to animal health and/or food safety. An animal traceability system encompasses an animal’s movements from its birth to its slaughter and processing. At Vet Sentry, we help enable efficient animal traceability through an easy, electronic process of providing animal health certificates.
Benefits of Animal Traceability
Animal traceability including traceability for livestock moving interstate allows for a fast response in the event of animal disease diagnosis. Successful animal traceability tracks animal illnesses, reducing how many animals must be investigated for possible carriers of the disease. It also reduces the required time to react to the disease outbreak, along with the cost to producers and the government.
Components of Animal Traceability
There are three elements that make up a livestock and animal traceability system. They include premises identification, animal identification, and animal movement. These parts operate together to speed up response times and facilitate fast containment of a disease outbreak.
1. Location Identification
This element involves connecting the livestock and poultry to the geographical location of the animals. The location information allows industries and the government to inform the owners if a critical event occurs that may impact the livestock and poultry.
2. Animal Identification
This element of an animal traceability system enables traceability of individual animals or a group of animals. The swine and poultry industries used methods of traceability that identify lots as opposed to identifying animals individually. On the other hand, industries that deal with sheep, beef, bison, and dairy use EID or RFID tags. Farms and industries are cooperating with regulators to put in place various ID and traceability systems. The various production methods dictate the differences in the ID and traceability systems used.
3. Animal Movement
This element of animal traceability enables efficient monitoring of animal movements all the way through the production stage according to the records and information available. The tracking of animal movement allows for enhanced emergency management and greater consumer trust because it helps ensure quality food gets to consumers in various countries around the world.
For more information about traceability for livestock moving interstate and how to obtain the animal health certificates you need for your customers, give us a call today at 320.216.7617 or email scott@Vet-Sentry.com.
