Livestock
As with many industries, the livestock and meat packing industries have automated and computerized their businesses. With automation comes the need for data acquisition systems, including a reliable, cost-effective means of automatic identification. Large producers are demanding automated record keeping and inventory controls which can only be accomplished with the use of microchips. External methods like tattooing and ear clipping require the use of manual records or require human interpretation before the data can be automated.
In addition to the uses of automatic ID in herd management, countries that export significant quantities of meat have recognized the potential uses of automatic ID to trace diseases or drug residues that could adversely affect sales of their products. A Radio Frequency ID (RFID) system works well for this purpose because animals can be permanently identified within a few hours of birth and retain this identification through the point at which they are weighed and graded at the packing house. External RFID tags are now available for use with livestock, particularly cattle. The Destron Fearing tag is called an e.Tag® and is 30mm in diameter - fitting well into the ear, with a small button tag to complete the system.
Legislation and consumer trends are motivating livestock producers to positively identify their animals to assure human food safety through origin trace back, disease control and disease eradication. The problems abound world wide with the outbreaks of "mad cow disease," (BSE) swine fever and foot and mouth disease in livestock animals. The positive identification of disease-bearing animals offers valid protection for human food safety and world economies affected by animal disease outbreaks.
Microchips implanted in horses throughout the world are used by owners for positive proof of ownership and as a theft deterrent; by equine breed registries to establish genetic identity and maintain records; by racetrack and horse show officials for positive identification. In Australia LifeChip was selected by The Australian Stud Book for Thoroughbred identification. In the state of Louisiana (U.S.A.), microchips are used to control equine infectious anaemia. The use of microchip identification in equine has brought about a dramatic reduction in the incidence of equine infectious anaemia and other equine diseases. Electronic microchips and readers for equine are the same as those used for companion animals.
In addition to the uses of automatic ID in herd management, countries that export significant quantities of meat have recognized the potential uses of automatic ID to trace diseases or drug residues that could adversely affect sales of their products. A Radio Frequency ID (RFID) system works well for this purpose because animals can be permanently identified within a few hours of birth and retain this identification through the point at which they are weighed and graded at the packing house. External RFID tags are now available for use with livestock, particularly cattle. The Destron Fearing tag is called an e.Tag® and is 30mm in diameter - fitting well into the ear, with a small button tag to complete the system.
Legislation and consumer trends are motivating livestock producers to positively identify their animals to assure human food safety through origin trace back, disease control and disease eradication. The problems abound world wide with the outbreaks of "mad cow disease," (BSE) swine fever and foot and mouth disease in livestock animals. The positive identification of disease-bearing animals offers valid protection for human food safety and world economies affected by animal disease outbreaks.
Microchips implanted in horses throughout the world are used by owners for positive proof of ownership and as a theft deterrent; by equine breed registries to establish genetic identity and maintain records; by racetrack and horse show officials for positive identification. In Australia LifeChip was selected by The Australian Stud Book for Thoroughbred identification. In the state of Louisiana (U.S.A.), microchips are used to control equine infectious anaemia. The use of microchip identification in equine has brought about a dramatic reduction in the incidence of equine infectious anaemia and other equine diseases. Electronic microchips and readers for equine are the same as those used for companion animals.
Industrial Applications
Microchips attached to equipment, tools, containers, and other processing machinery allow these objects to be identified by computer control for purposes such as production, inventory, and process management.
Legislation and consumer trends are motivating livestock producers to positively identify their animals to assure human food safety through origin trace back, disease control and disease eradication. The problems abound world wide with the outbreaks of "mad cow disease," (BSE) swine fever
and foot and mouth disease in livestock animals.
