TopTips for Branding and Animal Identification

By Anthony Gallenti, owner of Farmer’s Mailbox. Tagging and animal identification is vital for the efficient management of stock on a farm. Some forms of animal identification, particularly for animals bred for human consumption, are required by law. Dr Stuart Barber, lecturer in veterinary science at the University of Melbourne, highlights the following reasons for putting ID on grazing animals:

• There are legal requirements for being able to identify animals and the herd and location they are from. One of the most important reasons for tracking animals is to help manage disease breaks out. The National Livestock Identification Scheme requires electronic ID tags for cattle and visual ID tags for sheep requiring visual ID tags.
• Certain breed societies have prescribed standards for identification. For example, thoroughbred horses are identified by coat colour or markings, electronic ID and freeze branding.
• Visual ID helps identify your stock in case it strays and becomes mixed with a neighbour's.
• To track stock in case it is stolen.
• To identify different age groups, flocks or herds of animals.
• To identify individual animals. For example, to allow identification of stock that may have been treated with a drug and have a withholding period, or export slaughter interval associated with a specific drug.
• To allow parentage to be recorded for breeding.