The following forms of ID are considered "official identification":
- Federally approved eartags;
- Ear notching, if the ear notching has been recorded in the book of record of a purebred registry association, with registry association documentation accompanying the animal; and
- Ear or flank tattoos, for those tattoos recorded in the book of record of a swine registry association, with registry association documentation accompanying the animal.
Federally Approved Eartags
The following are federally approved eartags:
- 840 eartags
- Each tag contains 15 digits and will begin with the numbers 840 (USA country code). The remaining 12 digits on the tag are unique to the individual animal.
- 840 tags come in a variety of shapes (rectangular, round, etc.), sizes and colors, but each is an accepted form of official ID.
- Depending on the size and shape of the tag, additional information may be printed on the bottom of the tag, such as an additional management number for the animal or the producer’s Premise ID number.
- RFID 840 eartags
- Electronic Identification tags, also known as Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) eartags, can be used to store and track information through a database using a readable scanner (wand). This provides producers with more options for keeping performance records.
- NUES eartags
- These eartags are often called “silver” or “brite” tags and are a part of the National Uniform Eartagging System (NUES).
- There are metal and plastic versions of these tags.
