Official identification devices are managed by state and federal animal health officials to ensure that there are unique and standardized animal identification numbers available to support animal disease traceability. Producers may use other forms of identification for on-farm herd management purposes or breed registry programs, but official ID is required for regulatory programs (vaccination, testing, herd accreditation) and the interstate transport of most livestock. For additional information on official ID tags, see this USDA document: Official Eartags – Criteria and Options.
Scrapie flock ID and tags for sheep and goats can be requested from the USDA office in Richmond at 804.343.2560.
As of November 5, 2024, the USDA Animal Disease Traceability Rule requires electronically readable identification tags on all cattle that are required to be identified when moving interstate. This includes dairy and crossbred dairy cattle of any age, and all beef cattle over 18 months of age. Cattle tagged with official USDA metal tags prior to 11/5/24 are exempt from this requirement.
Producers who already have a flock ID can purchase scrapie tags from a number of online vendors.
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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