The Rural Voice, 2000-09, Page 21With a national system of
individually identifying cattle, Hunt
says, "Canada will be in a far more
secure situation in the eyes of the
world. Because Canada is an
exporting country in livestock, it is
essential that we can show other
nations that we can trace animals
back, that we have control of our
national herd, that we know where
they originate from, and that they're
disease free.
The new plastic tags are
designed to have a 95 per cent
retention rate and will stay
with the animal as it moves along the
chain from cow -calf operation to
backgrounder to feedlot to packing
plant. CCIA-approved tags have been
tested for readability by machines
and include either bar codes or
electronic tags. The tags bear a
country code, a nine -digit
identification number that is unique
to the animal that wears it, and a
trademark consisting of a three-
quarter maple leaf and the letters CA.
Producers buy tags from a
manufacturer or a supplier who
reports the numbers to the central
data base. Each time the animal
changes.hands the numbers are
reported. Only the Canadian Food
Inspection Agency will have access
to the registration numbers and only
then when they need to trace a
problem. If, at the time of inspection,
a serious problem is found with the
animal, health officials can follow
the animal's trail backwards to
identify other animals it might have
been in contact with.
Individually identifying cattle will
allow the trace back to be 90 per cent
faster than is possible without
individual identification, Dr. Hunt
says.
Pushed by the British situation,
the Canadian Cattlemen's
Association (CCA) has brought the
program on stream in record time. It
was at the semi-annual convention in
August 1997 that approval was given
to develop the identification
program. By last summer 25,000
samples of 20 types of ear tags were
being tested in feedlots across the
country and with major packers like
Cargill, IBP -Lakeside and Better
Beef to see that the tags performed
right through until inspection.
But, as always, not everyone was
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— 53rd BLUE WATER ANGUS SALE
(Oldest Annual Angus Sale in Canada)
Saturday, October 21, 2000 1:00 p.m.
at WAT-CHA SALESPLEX
Mount Forest, Ont.
• Several cow/calf pairs selling separately.
• Bred cows & heifers selected for good maternal traits
and early growth.
• A few top show heifer prospects
This sale is noted for unpampered good working
cattle that result in many repeat buyers. Premiums
for Black cattle are increasing rapidly. This is the
time, and this is the sale to rebuild your cow herd.
Write or call for catalogue
SECRETARY: PAMELA RIBEY
R.R. #4, Paisley, ON NOG 2N0
Phone: 519-389-5773
e-mail: empire@bmts.com
SEPTEMBER 2000 17