Livestock Identification
State Statutes

STATE

CITATION

CONTENT

Alabama

Code of Ala. § 2-15-45 (2004)

Authority for Commissioner of Agriculture and Industries, with approval of the Board, establish rules and regulations not inconsistent with law for the conduct, management and operation of any business as defined in this article, including the making, keeping and inspection of records to facilitate the tracing and identification of such livestock, the records to be kept and reports made and other like matters provided for to protect against stealing or unlawful dealing in or transportation of such livestock.

Alaska

1990 AK. Sess. Laws 147

Sec. 03.35.035. (a) Within 60 days of the establishment of a controlled livestock district or of the addition to an established controlled livestock district under AS 03.35.010, the person having custody and control of domestic animals located within the district shall identify the animals under AS 03.40, use identification collars to indicate ownership, or otherwise use a reliable system for the identification of the ownership of the animal.

Arizona

2002 Ariz. Sess. Laws 328

A. Except as otherwise provided in this article, it is unlawful for any person, firm or corporation to carry, transport or convey livestock by any conveyance without first having such livestock inspected and having in immediate possession the duplicate record of the inspection, an auction invoice issued pursuant to section 3-1336 a registration or identification card issued pursuant to section 3-1344 or 3-1345.

Arkansas

1995 Ark. Acts 19

To require that unvaccinated female bovines sold through livestock market or by any person meet identification requirements and other restrictions prescribed by Livestock and Poultry Commission.

Colorado

C.R.S. 35-50-102 (2004)

It is unlawful for any person, firm, or corporation to ship or drive into the state of Colorado any livestock unless such livestock are accompanied by an official health certificate, except livestock going to immediate slaughter. Such health certificate shall show the names and addresses of the consignor and the consignee and the kinds of livestock, with a description of each, including sex, breed, and age. Individual identification is required on any breeding cattle and on any swine and equines, except those going to immediate slaughter. Such health certificate shall show the permit number when a permit is required. The information on such health certificate shall be legible, and such certificate shall be signed by a licensed accredited veterinarian of the state of origin. One copy of such certificate shall accompany the livestock, and one copy of such certificate shall be forwarded to the Colorado state veterinarian through the state veterinarian of the state of origin within thirty days after the date of issue. No livestock known to be affected with or known to be exposed to any infectious or contagious disease may be imported into Colorado. Livestock shall also meet all federal interstate requirements.

Connecticut

Conn. Gen. Stat. § 22-277 (2003)

Provisions that bovines be branded, that dairy and breeding animals be from state supervised herds or have health certificate from state of origin and permit from commissioner, that they have identification and that female dairy and breeding animals be vaccinated against brucellosis

Idaho

Idaho Code § 25-207B  (2004)

In order to provide for disease control and increase the traceability of infected or exposed animals or fish, the division of animal industries, in cooperation with the state brand board, is authorized to promulgate rules for the identification of livestock, poultry or fish and the registration of premises where such animals or fish are held.

Indiana

Burns Ind. Code Ann. § 15-2.1-24-6  (2004)

Agents of Board may require by rules the identification of livestock and poultry for inspection purposes.

Kansas

K.S.A. § 47-418  (2003)

No applications for livestock brands for owner identification shall be issued for head, neck or tailhead locations, and the head and tailhead locations for livestock brands shall be reserved for brands for disease control purposes, except that head, neck and tailhead brands presently effective may have registration renewal upon term expirations.

Louisiana

La. R.S. 3:2221  (2004)

Any person owning or having charge of any male or female cattle over eight months of age in a herd which has shown evidence of brucellosis infection, or has intermingled with or otherwise been exposed to brucellosis infected animals, upon at least thirty days prior written notification by an authorized agent of the Livestock Sanitary Board shall present and restrain the cattle for identification and testing, and such infected herds shall be retested until these herds have become classified brucellosis negative as defined in Regulation 17 of the Livestock Sanitary Board.

Michigan

MCLS § 287.709 (2004)

"Official intrastate health certificate or official intrastate certificate of veterinary inspection" means a printed form adopted by the department and completed and issued by an accredited veterinarian that documents an animal's point of origin, point of destination, official identification, and any required official test results.

The director may develop, implement, and enforce scientifically based movement restrictions and requirements including official bovine tuberculosis test requirements, prior movement permits, official intrastate health certificates or animal movement certificates to accompany movement of animals, and official identification of animals for movement between or within a disease free zone, surveillance zone, and an infected zone, or any combination of those zones.

MCLS § 287.839 (2004)

Sec. 39. (1) Breeding swine brought into this state shall remain at the destination stated on the official interstate health certificate or official interstate certificate of veterinary inspection until the herd owner obtains a negative official test for pseudorabies conducted not less than 30, or more than 60, days following the date of importation. The director may grant an exemption for infected herds under quarantine.
   (2) Swine imported into this state shall bear official identification.
   (3) The importation of swine vaccinated for pseudorabies is prohibited.
   (4) A person shall not bring swine into this state from a livestock auction market or other collection facility where slaughter swine are handled except when importing swine for slaughter purposes only.
   (5) The director may waive specific requirements if it is determined that livestock imported from a certain area or state are not a threat to the health of native livestock.

Missouri

§ 267.575 R.S.Mo.  (2004)

The official health certificate required by sections 267.560 to 267.660 shall contain the names and addresses of the consignor and consignee, the origin of the animals, livestock or birds, the final destination and the accurate description or identification of such animals, livestock or birds; said health certificate shall indicate the health status of the animals, livestock or birds involved, including dates and results of required tests and dates of vaccination, if any.

§ 276.621 R.S.Mo.  (2004)

Any movement of livestock by any person without accompanying proper health certificates, proper tests for disease or identification as may be required under the animal health statutes of Missouri or the United States, or any rules and regulations promulgated thereunder

Montana

MCA § 81-9-220 (2004)

Requires the identification of livestock and poultry and the marking and labeling of livestock or poultry products as "Montana Inspected and Passed" if they are found upon inspection not to be adulterated;

MCA § 87-4-414 (2004)

The department of livestock is responsible for the control, tracking, and distribution of identification tags used for the marking of alternative livestock. The department of livestock shall require that all imported alternative livestock are marked within 30 days of importation and that all other alternative livestock are marked prior to January 1 of each year.

Nebraska

R.R.S. Neb. § 54-198  (2004)

Any person having livestock may record a brand, which he or she has the exclusive right to use in this state, and it is unlawful to use any brand for branding any livestock unless the person using such brand has recorded that brand with the Nebraska Brand Committee. A brand is a mark consisting of symbols, characters, numerals, or a combination of such intended as a visual means of identification when applied to the hide of an animal or another method of livestock identification approved by rule and regulation of the brand committee, including an electronic device used for livestock identification.

R.R.S. Neb. § 54-1376  (2004)

The department shall require specific forms of identification to be applied to livestock subject to the provisions of sections 54-1367 to 54-1384, and to require appropriate record keeping and reporting regarding such identification by persons owning or handling such livestock.

North Dakota

N.D. Cent. Code, § 36-01-18 (2003)

The state veterinarian and authorized agents and representatives of the commissioner, for purposes of inspecting livestock in transit for health or ownership identification, may stop vehicles transporting livestock on public highways of this state. When signaled by the state veterinarian or an authorized agent or representative of the commissioner to stop, the operator of any vehicle shall stop the vehicle, show any health or identification forms which are required to be carried in transportation of livestock, and permit the inspector to make an inspection of the livestock being transported if deemed by the inspector to be necessary.

Oklahoma

2 Okl. St. § 4-20 (2004)

It is the intent of the Oklahoma State Legislature to direct and authorize the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food, and Forestry to develop, implement, and administer an Oklahoma Animal Identification Program that achieves the following goals:1) Enhance disease preparedness by rapidly identifying animals exposed to disease, thus allowing quick detection, containment, and elimination of disease threats; 2) Promote continued confidence in animal products and to protect the health status of Oklahoma's herds and flocks; 3) Identify infected and exposed premises, animals, and groups of animals; 4) Develop a comprehensive infrastructure that utilizes state-of-the-art national and international standards with the best available and practical technologies for the collection and recording of livestock and food animal movements; and 5) Be dynamic and flexible, and incorporate new and proven technologies as they become available.

South Carolina

S.C. Code Ann. § 47-11-360 (2003)

The Department is hereby authorized to adopt an identification method or system by the use of marks, tags, paint or other methods to be affixed to livestock whereby such livestock may be identified with respect to their grade and physical condition in order that the prospective buyers or bidders may determine the grade and condition of the livestock at the time of sale.

Vermont

6 V.S.A. § 768  (2004)

Duty of livestock dealer to (4) Maintain, subject to inspection by the secretary of agriculture, food and markets or his or her agent, a proper record in which all livestock purchased, repossessed, sold or loaned are to be listed, giving breed, date purchased, repossessed, sold or loaned and complete names and addresses from whom obtained and to whom delivered. Such record shall also show the individual identification of each livestock by a method prescribed for each species by rule by the secretary

6 V.S.A. § 3304  (2004)

 Power of Secretary to (2) by rules require the identification of livestock and poultry for inspection purposes and the marking and labeling of livestock products or poultry products or their containers, or both, as "Vermont Inspected and Passed" if the products are not found upon inspection to be adulterated and "Vermont Inspected and Condemned" if they are found upon inspection to be adulterated, and the destruction for food purposes of all the condemned products under the supervision of an inspector.

Virginia

Va. Code Ann. § 3.1-884.20  (2004)

Duty of Board of Agriculture: 2. Shall, by regulations, require the identification of livestock and poultry for inspection purposes and the marking and labeling of livestock products or poultry products or their containers, or both, as "Virginia Inspected and Passed" if the products are found upon inspection to be not adulterated and as "Virginia Inspected and Condemned" if they are found upon inspection to be adulterated, and the destruction for food purposes of all such condemned products under the supervision of an inspector.

Washington

Rev. Code Wash. (ARCW) § 16.57.010  (2004)

Definitions—Identification of Livestock

West Virginia

W. Va. Code § 19-10B-5  (2004)

Every licensed livestock dealer shall make and retain for at least two years written livestock sales records in the form and manner prescribed by the commissioner, including, but not limited to, records indicating the identification numbers or letters, sex, brand and approximate weight of all livestock bought, sold, received, exchanged or otherwise transferred, and the names and addresses of all owners, sellers, consignors or buyers with whom he has in any manner exchanged livestock, with the date of such exchanges.