Integration of New Animal ID Technology from Farms through Transportation, Animal Markets, Buying Stations, to Terminal Markets

Primary Investigator:
Dr. David Wolfgang

Contributing Investigators:

Project Description:
Using existing electronic animal ID systems and EID readers, collect ear tag data from cull dairy cows at all points of movement from farm to slaughter.

Objectives:
Efforts to improve profitability and sustainability are promoted by many aspects of the industry from on farm programs through product production and marketing. Product quality assurance and safety have emerged as increasingly important for product acceptance, biosecurity, and market enhancement. The National Animal Identification System (NAIS) has been initiated. The first phase of this program has begun in the cattle industry. Currently members of the Veterinary Science Department have a number of cattle health and on farm food safety projects on going where the intial phases of NAIS are in place. Many of these farms have been incorporated an electronic cattle ID system. Animals have been traced from the farm and their data or tissues retrieved at terminal markets. At this time, there is no effective method to trace animal movements between the farm and terminal markets, nore are there effective methods to quickly gather data regarding animal movements. A key goal of the NAIS and the PA Herds identification system is to develop the capability to find and trace animals within 48 hours. Such a capability will substantially improve animal health in cases where rapidly contagious diseases are found. Rapid identification has already proven economically beneficial to PA in a recent avian influenza outbreak. Improving data collection on cattle movement is critical for food safety initiatives and agri-biosecurity concerns. This proposal would all PA producers to be at the forefront in quality assurance programs and greatly improve the biosecurity of PA animal agriculture.

Project Citations and Files: