The Canadian Cattle Identification Agency has moved from issuing ear tag numbers to offering a wide array of services in less than five years.
With the release of $1.7 million from the federal government’s $488 million post-BSE strategy fund, the agency is upgrading its computer systems to handle individual identification, proof of age, premise identification, animal movement information and private value-added information.
Age verification entries have passed 800,000 since the system started accepting birth information in the spring.
Premise identification will be completed by the end of the year. Producers have been assigned personal identification numbers that are connected to location so they do not need to submit further data.
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The information is added using global positioning and land descriptions and will be used when animal movement is tracked next year.
A new value-added component allows individuals to use the system to collect information for carcass merit, animal performance data and on-farm food safety programs. This is a voluntary program and those involved indicate who may share the information.
“It doesn’t affect the rest of the system in terms of confidentiality; it is only the people who have agreed to share that information will see it,” said agency manager Julie Stitt.
“We’ll do it for free. It is just another service we provide to add value to the tag.”
