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Dairy Cattle

Virginia Animal ID Program

All dairy cattle moving to a public sale (livestock market, buying station or sale barn) or public exhibition in Virginia should be identified with an official ear tag. Sale or event managers may provide a tagging service at their locations, but may also charge a fee for this service. Official ear tags are available from the Office of Veterinary Services, from accredited veterinarians or from a number of local and online vendors. Please note that if you purchase 840-series ear tags, a Premises Identification Number will be required.

All dairy cattle moving interstate must be officially identified and must be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI) except under the following conditions:

  • Cattle moving interstate direct to a slaughter facility from an approved market or buying station may be identified with an official back tag and do not require a CVI.
  • Cattle moving from Virginia to an approved livestock market and tagging site in one of the following states do not have to be identified and do not have to have a CVI – North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee and West Virginia. Cattle will be tagged with official ID at the destination market and owners may be charged a tagging fee.

As much as possible, all dairy cattle, including feeder steers and calves, should be tagged with official ID on the farm of origin.

Dairy producers should note that after March 2015, American ID and Holstein Association tags will not be considered official for interstate movement (animals tagged before March 2015 are fine). We suggest transitioning to 840-series tags that are available from a number of vendors, including the Holstein Association and other dairy groups.

Members of dairy coops or groups such as United DHIA should contact their representatives about transitioning to official ID tags if they have not already done so.

Contact
Richard Odom
Virginia Animal Disease Traceability Program
804.692.0600
richard.odom@vdacs.virginia.gov

Premises Registration: prem.id@vdacs.virginia.gov 


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