U.S. Wants to Tighten Rules on Livestock IDs

The Agriculture Department has proposed strengthening requirements that cattle and hogs moved across state lines wear individual identification tags or brands, officials said Friday.

The proposal, to be published Monday in the Federal Register, calls for identification devices to be placed on the animals at their point of origin and to be removed only after they reach their final destination.

Current regulations require the identification tags only during actual interstate movement of the animals.

“By requiring that these devices remain on the animals until they reach their final destination, we are increasing our ability to pinpoint the source of any disease that may be detected in the animals and take quick action to remedy other problems,” said Administrator Bert Hawkins of the department’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service.

The identification devices include ear tags, back tags, brands and tattoos.