Livestock ID:

Measure What Matters and Track Profitability

The use of an ear tag to identify a beef animal’s origin is not mandated by Country of Origin Labeling (COOL) requirements – the Farm Bill says that COOL cannot mandate the use of identification. But there are still many reasons why livestock producers should consider using these devices in their herd management systems. “Animal identification continues to be one of the least expensive and most valuable additions to an animal,” comments Scott Holt, associate national sales manager for global livestock identification leader Allflex USA. “Genetics, proper nutrition, vaccinations, deworming, etc., are all important, but your identification protocol may make you more money and simplify management more than any other expense you have,” he says.

Holt gives these three reasons for investing in an ear tag:

1. Measure what matters. Producers have long known that identifying herd genetics, measuring herd performance, tracking animal inventory, or tracking hospital treatments are important and valuable reasons to use livestock identification. Carrying out culling decisions, complying with drug withdrawals, tracking the effectiveness of supplemental nutrition programs, and making sure someone hasn’t made off with part of your herd are all good business reasons to use identification.

2. Save time. Many producers have decided to use electronic ear tags to help increase the accuracy of their record-keeping and reduce the labor needed to perform routine tasks that require identifying individual animals. This is especially true for seedstock producers who track performance of their base stock and progeny.

3. Improve marketing. For stocker operators, backgrounding calves and following

certain vaccination protocols or joining a feeder-calf pool can pay nice dividends. Many programs require an ear tag for identification. Consumer demand also impacts producer management practices. Many producers are raising cattle destined for special branded-beef programs. Livestock identification is used for age and source verification and for niche beef products that make certain marketing claims. Using identification as part of your management toolbox is one of the most lowcost and easiest ways to make cattle eligible for value-added programs, while elevating the value of your livestock marketings.

With producers squeezed between higher feed and fuel prices, spending another dollar or two on identification, Holt says, may return more than any other investment this year. He adds, “As we see larger separations between the good calves and average calves, it is more important than ever to alleviate shortcuts; producers will always find a market for quality calves.”