A calf with eartag and transponder in Agentina

Animal identification using a means of marking is a process done to identify and track specific

animal Animals are multicellular, eukaryotic organisms in the Kingdom (biology), biological kingdom Animalia. With few exceptions, animals Heterotroph, consume organic material, Cellular respiration#Aerobic respiration, breathe oxygen, are Motilit ...

s. It is done for a variety of reasons including verification of ownership,

biosecurity Biosecurity refers to measures aimed at preventing the introduction and/or spread of harmful organisms (e.g. viruses, bacteria, etc.) to animals and plants in order to minimize the risk of transmission of infectious disease. In agriculture, thes ...

control, and tracking for research or agricultural purposes.

History

Individual identification of animals by means of body markings has been practiced for over 3,800 years, as stated in Code of Hammurabi. The first official identification systems are documented as far as the 18th century. In

Uruguay Uruguay (; ), officially the Oriental Republic of Uruguay ( es, República Oriental del Uruguay), is a country in South America. It shares borders with Argentina to its west and southwest and Brazil to its north and northeast; while bordering ...

for instance maintained at that time a register of hot brands.

Methods

Birds

* Leg rings * Wing tags * Microchip implants (parrots) *

Telemetry Telemetry is the in situ collection of measurements or other data at remote points and their automatic transmission to receiving equipment (telecommunication) for monitoring. The word is derived from the Greek roots ''tele'', "remote", an ...

(falconry birds)

Sheep

Freeze branding Freeze branding (sometimes called CryoBranding and the resulting brands, trichoglyphs) is a technique involving a cryogenic coolant instead of heat to produce permanent marks on a variety of animals. The coolant is used to lower the temperature o ...

* Branding (hot-iron) * Collar * Earmarking *

Ear tag An ear tag is a plastic or metal object used for identification of domestic livestock and other animals. If the ear tag uses Radio Frequency Identification Device ( RFID) technology it is referred to as an electronic ear tag. Electronic ear ta ...

s (non-electronic) * Ear tags (electronic) * Semi-permanent paint

Pigs

* Collars (electronic and non-electronic) * Earmarking *

s (non-electronic) * Ear tags (electronic) * Semi-permanent paint *

Tattoo A tattoo is a form of body modification made by inserting tattoo ink, dyes, and/or pigments, either indelible or temporary, into the dermis layer of the skin to form a design. Tattoo artists create these designs using several tattooing ...

Horses

* Collars (non-electronic) * Branding (hot-iron) * Branding (freeze) * Microchip implants *Lip

tattoo A tattoo is a form of body modification made by inserting tattoo ink, dyes, and/or pigments, either indelible or temporary, into the dermis layer of the skin to form a design. Tattoo artists create these designs using several tattooing ...

Cattle

* Anklets * Branding (freeze) * Branding (hot-iron) * Collars (electronic and non-electronic) * Earmarking *

s (non-electronic) * Ear tags (electronic) * Rumen bolus (electronic) *

Cowbell A cowbell (or cow bell) is a bell worn around the neck of free-roaming livestock so herders can keep track of an animal via the sound of the bell when the animal is grazing out of view in hilly landscapes or vast plains. Although they are t ...

Dogs

* Collar * Microchip implants * Tattoo

Laboratory mice

* Earmarking (notching or punching) * Ear tags (nickel, copper or scannable 2D barcode tags) * Microchip implants * Hair dye * Toe clipping * Manual tattoos (tail, foot pad or ears) * Automated tail tattoos

Fish

* Microchip implants * Fin clipping *

Coded wire tag A coded wire tag (CWT) is an animal tagging device, most often used for identifying batches of fish. It consists of a length of magnetized stainless steel wire 0.25 mm in diameter and typically 1.1 mm long. The tag is marked with rows of ...

* Passive integrated transponder *

Acoustic tag Acoustic may refer to: Music Albums * ''Acoustic'' (Above & Beyond album), 2014 * ''Acoustic'' (Deine Lakaien album), 2007 * ''Acoustic'' (Everything but the Girl album), 1992 * ''Acoustic'' (John Lennon album), 2004 * ''Acoustic'' (Love Amo ...

*Visible implant elastomer (VIE)

Marine mammals

* Transponders * Adhesive tags

Amphibians

*Microchip implants * Toe clippings * Passive integrated transponder * Visible implant elastomer (VIE)

Invertebrates

* Adhesive tags * Semi-permanent paint

National animal identification schemes

British Cattle Movement Service The British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS) is the organisation responsible for maintaining a database of all bovine animals in Great Britain; Northern Ireland has a separate database maintained by the Department of Agriculture and Rural Developme ...

in Britain *

National Animal Identification and Tracing National Animal Identification and Tracing (NAIT) is a system of agricultural animal tracing in New Zealand for biosecurity and human health. The schemes use radio-frequency identification (RFID) technology and a national database to trace animals ...

in New Zealand *

National Animal Identification System The National Animal Identification System, (naisG) is a government-run program in the United States intended to extend government animal health surveillance by identifying and tracking specific animals. Administered at the federal level by the Anim ...

in the United States *

National Livestock Identification System The National Livestock Identification System (NLIS) is a livestock identification and tracking system used in Australia. It is administered by Integrity Systems Company, which is a wholly owned subsidiary of Meat and Livestock Australia. The sys ...

in Australia

Footnotes

Gallery

File:Wing tag Great Frigatebird.JPG, Great frigatebird with a wing tag File:Kaka parrot foot.jpg, Bird ring File:Notched ear sheep.jpg, Sheep with an earmark File:Penn state university pigs.jpg, Pig with earmark File:Branded Shackleford Pony.jpg, Horse with a brand File:Santa Gertrudis.jpg, Santa Gertudis cattle with electronic and non-electronic ear tags File:A calf with eartag and transponder in Agentina.jpg, Calf with a non-electronic ear tag, numbered collar and transponder (blue device) File:Bear with identification.jpg, Bear with an ear tag and transponder File:Greyhound right ear tattoo.jpg, Tattoo inside a Greyhound's ear File:DogTags license fxwb.jpg, Dog collar with dog license and other dog tags File:134 2khz rfid animal tag.jpg, A microchip implant and applicator File:Lab mouse mg 3308.jpg, A laboratory mouse with an ear tag File:Tagging for future reference - geograph.org.uk - 1220926.jpg, Fish with a transponder File:Halichoerus grypus Telemetry.jpg, Harbour seal with a transponder File:Sealwithhattag.jpg, Common seal with an adhesive tag File:Apis mellifera scutellata 1355021.jpg, European queen honey bee marked with a paint spot surrounded by Africanised honeybees File:Ewe with lamb - geograph.org.uk - 1119783.jpg, Sheep with painted number File:Monarch Butterfly Danaus plexippus Tagged Closeup 3008px.jpg, Monarch butterfly tagged with a sticker File:Tagging mussels (7008974195).jpg, Mussels being tagged

References

{{Commons category, Animal identification Ethology