New tagging and traceability requirements kicked in on January 1, 2013.  The Texas Animal Health Commission now requires all adult cattle to have an approved form of permanent identification in place at the time of sale, or change of ownership. Exemptions include nursing calves, steers, spayed females, bulls and heifers under 18 months (unless heifer has calved).  All other cattle are required to have this identification.

According to the TAHC, “a complete list of acceptable identification devices/methods may be found at www.tahc.state.tx.us, but the most commonly used devices include USDA metal tags, brucellosis calfhood vaccination tags, US origin 840 series Radio Frequency Identification tags (RFID), and breed registration tattoos or firebrands. Producers are encouraged to contact their veterinarian or TAHC to determine which method of tagging will be best for their operation.”  The USDA metal tags can be found at your local extension office.

For more information, please contact your local extension office or the state office TAHC Traceability Team at 1-800-550-8242 ext 733.

Texas Animal Health Comm: http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/

Click here to access a list of common questions – What you need to know: http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/adt/CattleTraceabilityRule-QA.pdf

You can access the full press release from the TAHC website: http://www.tahc.state.tx.us/news/pr/2012/2012-10-4_ADTEarTagRule.pdf