ROULEAU, Sask. – The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency is looking at replacing the bar-coded cattle tags with a radio frequency ID system.
Paul Gumprich, project co-ordinator for the agency, started trials in spring 2002. He says the current bar code system is not useful for farmers in terms of herd management.
“How many have a bar code reader? Plus the bar code is a pain for the packing houses. If there’s mud or blood … on that bar code, it has to be cleaned off or it’s hard for the reader to read the number,” Gumprich said.
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“The packing houses have had to put an extra guy on every shift just to cut the tags out and clean them so they can be read properly. These new radio frequency tags can be read through whatever.”
The electronic ear tags use a radio frequency signal via a chip in the tag or button to provide an identification number.
The initial problem with the radio frequency tags was their price of $6 to $8 per tag. Price has now dropped into the $2 range.
“Most of the RFID tags are button tags right now. We do have dangle ones with the chip built in, so you can write on it or have a number on it for management, but they cost a little bit more money.”
One roadblock in adapting the new tags is the effectiveness of reader units. Part of the study deals with testing radio frequency readers.
When Gumprich started the project, two or three companies were producing the tags. Now there are nine.
“They’re all similar, but to be approved by the CCIA, they have to meet retention and readability standards. We have to test them.
“I know some guys that have been disappointed because they thought, ‘I’ll get on my horse and point the reader at a calf in the middle of the field and I’ll know which calf it is.’ I wish we could get them that far, but you still have to be fairly close.”
Some Canadian dairy farmers have been using electronic ID for more than 20 years to identify cows.
Some large feedlots have also used the technology.
“The main thing for us is it’s easier to read and track animals at various points. The CCIA is still just for animal traceback. It makes it easier to read on a truck, at the border, at the auction mart and especially for the packing house guys. They don’t have to worry about wiping off the tag.”
Last spring the agency had about 15,000 tags to distribute, which went to 37 producers in five provinces. Now it has 63,000 tags for producers or feedlots that want to try them.
“There is a cost. We’ll provide the readers and applicators, but the tags are $2 apiece, because that’s what we had to buy them at. We’re anxious to get more tags out to more producers, let them try them and see what they’re all about.”
