USDA implements new cattle ID rules

Nov 27, 2024
By Farms.com

Mandatory EID tags for cattle on interstate moves

The latest update from the USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service brings a significant change to animal disease management.

Starting November 5, 2024, new federal rules require electronic identification (EID) tags for dairy cattle, sexually intact beef cattle, and bison over 18 months old, as well as exhibition and rodeo livestock that cross state boundaries.

These EID tags, identified by an 840 prefix, are essential tools in improving the traceability of diseases and responding swiftly to outbreaks, thus aiming to protect the livestock industry from severe economic losses due to disease spread.

While the new rule demands these tags for certain classes of livestock, it does not apply to younger stocker or feeder cattle.

Producers must ensure that any animal tagged after the rule's effective date is fitted with the required EID tag, which should be readable both visually and electronically.

Producers can obtain these tags through various channels including the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture or directly from tag manufacturers. Although the tags themselves are free, shipping costs are borne by the producer. A premises ID is mandatory for ordering these tags.

The regulations underscore the USDA's commitment to enhancing animal health infrastructure and ensuring robust disease control mechanisms are in place.

Producers can seek more information or assistance through state veterinarian offices or their respective agricultural department website - Animal Industry State Veterinarian Page .

Video: Evolution of Beef Cattle Farming

The Clear Conversations podcast took to the road for a special episode recorded in Nashville during CattleCon, bringing listeners straight into the heart of the cattle industry. Host Tracy Sellers welcomed rancher Steve Wooten of Beatty Canyon Ranch in Colorado for a wide-ranging discussion that blended family history and sustainability, particularly as it relates to the future of beef production.

Sustainability emerged as a central theme of the conversation, a word that Wooten acknowledges can mean very different things depending on who you ask. For him, sustainability starts with the soil. Healthy soil produces healthy grass, which supports efficient cattle capable of producing year after year with minimal external inputs. It’s an approach that equally considers vegetation, animal efficiency, and long-term profitability.

That philosophy aligned naturally with Wooten’s involvement in the U.S. Roundtable for Sustainable Beef, where he served as a representative for the Colorado Cattlemen’s Association. The roundtable brings together the entire beef supply chain—from producers to retailers—along with universities, NGOs, and allied industries. Its goal is not regulation, Wooten emphasized, but collaboration, shared learning, and continuous improvement.