| David - 5/11/2024 06:31
I get all of that.
So, back to my question. What has changed and why do we have to have EID all of a sudden when those tags worked so great?
My opinion of the change in type of tags is because labor, record keeping, ease of transfer or records. I have to smile on agtalk producers complaining about lack of vets. Yet a licensed vet is required to do tattoos & tagging of breeding livestock. However I do know of some remote areas states have allowed a few people that aren't vets to administer a tag program. However I think that might be coming to a end in some of those areas.
The shear amount of paperwork needed to track cattle has raises because of unscrupulous livestock jockeys trading cattle with health issues. In our area a purebred breeder pulled some crap leasing bulls into Nevada, then snuck them back into Utah, them sold them in production sale. Then it filtered into Idaho, all done under purebred breeders word they were virgin bulls. Going on five years now trying to clean the mess up.
Was some serious fines levied on quite a few producers for failure to get health papers. One bad apple started, then lack of so called honest producers, just trying to save getting cleared health papers spread the trich like wildfire.
As a vet having to tattoos females and install a USDA tag, at today labor rates far easier for vet to install RFID tags, read with a reader, then take them and transfer data back to state office to be recorded. If vet has to manually download metal clip numbers into computer, cost go up to producers. Far easier for your vet to work on cats and dogs, than to do cattle work. It helps makes record keeping for them easier.
As far as a producer the only damn thing that has changed is a Plastic RFID tag vs. metal. If producer so chooses they can implement those records into their record keeping program if thry want. You aren't required to do so. However if you want to sell breeding stock across statelines it wise to tag with USDA tags and bangs tattoos. It increases your value of animal.
Nobody will force you to leave animal on your farm no vacc. But take to town to sell, they can't change ownership for breeding. Have to go to slaughter. This new H1N1 bird flu has jacked movement of slaughter cattle, because we have jockeys that like to pull crap.
I smile at threats these RFID tags are going to be read from space. Guys using virtual fencing will tell you about transmitters for collars don't last long for that system, how the hell you going to put a battery in a RFID TAG to have them read from space 2-10 years? Yes you could make argument records could be transferred between IRS and state, federal agency's. Every agency has their own transfer of data problems. FSA and Dept of Ag can't even transfer data right. Don't think that is going to happen any time soon.
All this up roar is organizations using it as propaganda against each other to get your membership dollars. Johnny crying wolf, to get you dollars. As a producer it hasn't raised your cost of production on damn bit. States give tags to vet install, if you want to install them in all your cows here state will give you the tags. You don't have to change herd over all at once, you can do it though attrition.
If you want to hand write metal clip tags for herd records knock yourself out doing it. Or you can borrow vets reader, or buy your own and read them for your own records if you feel the need for more records.
Not going to argue tags don't fall out, but all you have to do is put a replacement tag in. This tag is JUST A WAY FOR WHEN AMIMAL TRANFERS STATES, SALEBARNS, ETC. It makes it easier for vets to write records or CVI (certificate of veterinary inspection) so your damn cows can go to slaughter or transfer to your farms for breeding purposes.
Edited by Russ In Idaho 5/11/2024 08:14
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"Mandatory" EID tags. Why the hullabaloo?
