Simple Records Ensure Effectiveness of NLID Program

The effectiveness of the NLID program is dependent upon each producer doing their part in tagging animals and also recording all animals that come into their herd or leave their herd. Recording is not only a useful thing to do it is a part of the regulations.

The implementation of the National Livestock Identification Program has been considered to be very successful with over 95% of all cattle arriving at slaughterhouses are compliant with the ID tagging system. This was accomplished in the first year of the enforcement phase of the program. The regulations requiring all cattle to be tagged at the farm of origin came into effect in January of 2001. Enforcement with possible fines for non-compliance beginning at $500 came in to effect in July 1, 2002.

Keeping some simple records on the farm could be invaluable to the dairy producer should tracebacks ever be required if a health problem with any animal were detected, on your own farm, the farm of someone to whom you have sold cattle or at an auction or slaughterhouse.

Records need to include cattle coming onto the farm, as well as those leaving: Purchased cattle that are added to the herd are obvious. As well, animals such as that natural service bull that was purchased or the few beef cattle bought to use up extra feed all need to be recorded. Records for cattle entering the farm include: Date, herd ID, NLID or CCIA tag number, Previous owner or Place of Origin. Place of origin should include the trucker, drover or sales barn as well as the herd of origin if known.

Sometimes tags are broken off or go missing. A note should be made immediately along with some identifying mark or detail of the individual that has lost a tag and a new tag ordered. This record becomes very important should any other cattle in the same group break or lose their tags before the first is replaced

Leaving the farm: Record the same information as above: Date, herd ID, NLID or CCIA number, except this time the producer needs to record the destination: new owner, slaughter house. Frequently the cow or heifer is sold to a drover, dealer or goes through an auction house. Write down where that animal went including the trucker. Do not assume that in all cases you know its final destination when it leaves your farm.

The milk recording system tracks all milking cows that move from milk recorded herd to milk recorded herd. This includes 72% of all dairy herds in Ontario and probably greater than 75% of all dairy cows. Registered cattle are also tracked though the registration transfer system of each Breed.

The Ontario DHI herd event calendar provides an ideal place to record all cattle entering and leaving the farm. It is approved to meet the requirements of the NLID Program as permanent record for traceback purposes. It is especially important to record all cattle that enter and leave the premises. Cattle that need to be recorded but are not normally tracked in milk recording systems include bob calves that go to sales barns or directly to veal operations, cull cows, cattle that go for sale or slaughter, and breeding bulls. Literally everything that leaves the farm has to have a tag and has to be recorded.

The Ontario DHI Calendar is simple and easy to use. It is distributed to all DHI members. You do not have to be a DHI member to get one. It is available to all dairy producers in Ontario for the asking.

Keep ID tracking records simple but be sure to keep them!