Official Identification (ID)
Important Notice: as of November 5, 2024 NUES tags are no longer official ID on Cattle.
If you have questions visit the official USDA website for more information.
Cattle
- Official eartags - used for ID on interstate certificates of veterinary inspection (ICVI's), test charts, change of ownership records, and brucellosis vaccination
- Breed registration tattoos - used in South Dakota for ICVI's accompanied with a copy of the registration certificate, test charts (except TB), and change of ownership records
- NOTE: Not all states recognize breed registry tattoos as official ID
- Backtags - used on animals going directly to slaughter
- Brands - used in South Dakota for ownership and seasonal grazing movements
- Please see the USDA document on Federal Requirements for Cattle - for more information
Sheep and Goats
- Scrapie tags - used for ID on interstate certificates of veterinary inspection (ICVI's), test charts and intrastate sales
- Scrapie tagging records are kept by the sale barn, veterinarian, or the producer who applies the tags
- 840/AIN tags - used for ICVI's and test charts
- Breed registration tattoos - used for ICVI's and test charts
- Please see the SDAIB Scrapie pamphlet and the USDA document on Federal Requirements for Sheep and Goats - for more information
Equine
- Detailed physical description on an interstate certificate of veterinary inspection (ICVI) and/or Coggins test chart - including any brands or lip tattoos.
- Digital photographs sufficient to identify the individual equine.
- USDA approved microchips
- Electronic identification that complies with ISO 11784/11785; or
- Non-ISO electronic identification injected into the equine on or before February 26, 2014.
- Please see the USDA document on Federal Requirements for Equine - for more information
Swine
- Official eartags (NUES and 840/AIN tags) - used for ID on interstate certificates of veterinary inspection (ICVI's), test charts
- Slap tattoos - used on feeder swine:
- Herd tattoos used by producers to ID feeder swine
- Market tattoos used by auction markets and collection stations to ID slaughter swine
- Backtags - used on animals moving in slaughter channels
- USDA premises tags
- Used on adult animals moving in slaughter channels
- USDA premises tags printed with a unique herd management number may be used as official ID on non-slaughter swine.
- Breed registration tattoos - used on ICVI's, test charts
- Please see the USDA document on Federal Requirements for Swine - for more information
Poultry
- Producer participation in the National Poultry Improvement Plan (NPIP) allows poultry to move interstate through the production cycle as a group using VS Form 9-3
- Leg Bands, group/lot ID - used on interstate certificates of veterinary inspection (ICVI's)
- Please see the USDA document on Federal Requirements for Poultry - for more information
Captive Cervids
- Official USDA tags (NUES and 840/AIN tags) - used on intrastate/interstate certificates of veterinary inspection (ICVI's), test charts, herd inventory records
- Breed registration tattoos - used on interstate certificates of veterinary inspection (ICVI's), test charts, herd inventory records
- Please see the USDA document on Federal Requirements for Cervids - for more information