United States Animal Identification Work Plan - DRAFT Page 35
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V.B.9. Sheep 

In Phase I the Sheep industry will continue their identification with existing mandatory and
voluntary visual scrapie ID programs as currently structured. These programs include:

• Premises ID using visual tags (metal and plastic) as well as individual animal ID
• Tag orders are placed electronically or by telephone to the state VS office and are
  electronically transmitted to the tag manufacturer and
• Payment for tags is made by USDA/APHIS.
  
  The ID program will continue as described above for another year or two to provide a sense of stability and continuity to these industries that have had significant ID changes over the past 3 APHIS, with assistance from commercial component sources, would fund an 18-month
  comparative field performance evaluation of components of RFID sheep tracking system
  components (tags, boluses, static antenna/-readers, hand readers) used in typical environments (range and farm, humid and arid, temperature extremes, large flocks and small). A third party The overall goal of the field performance evaluation is to identify a set of components that as documented performance that meets the needs in current environments (farm, range,feedlot/pastures, auction markets, commercial transport, slaughterhouse) and that can do so without unduly interfering with the normal movement of animals around the USA.
  
  Components to be tested and documented:
   
•  RFID ear tags & boluses from commercial sources
•  RFID handheld readers
•  RFID antenna/readers from commercial sources
  Animal types in which to test the components
•  Range ewes and rams
•  Commercial farm flock (ewes and rams)
•  Seedstock and Stud flock (ewes and rams)
•  Hobby flock (fiber) ewes and rams
  
  Protecting American Animal Health
  
  Emphasis would be placed on addressing this issues:
•  What works in the primary field environments that will occur in a national system
  (and how well)
•  What doesn't work well in any of the above environments,
•  What needs improving,
•  What pleases the co-operating users,
•  What frustrates them,
•  Tag loss rates in the various environments
•  Infection % and concerns from insertion of ear tags
•  Tag reading % for the various tags in the range of reading systems.
•  Recommended insertion sites in the ear or elsewhere
•  Recommended insertion/application time in animal’s life
•  Throughput rates – number of sheep read per hour
•  Strategy for non-readable id in farm/ranch and market settings
•  Reader/antenna:Durability in all weather and normal working conditions
   
• Ability to read tags from multiple sources (including tags w both FDX-B and
  HDX technology).
• Throughput in the field. How many animals can pass through/by the antenna
  per hour and be read accurately?
• Impact on animal flow in the various locations. How many/minute or hr.
  moved up the chute without the antenna. How many moved up the chute w.
  the antenna(s) in place
• Effect on speed and accuracy when presented with varying sizes, ages,
  breeds of sheep and goats.
• Ability to cope with 110-120 v. AC power variations and battery input
  situations
• Ability to be set up in the field on a temporary basis for loading and
  unloading animals in isolated situations.
• Ease of rapid repair/replacement if a reader or antenna fails for any reason.
  - User acceptability & "friendliness" of ear tags.
• Ease/speed of installation
• User evaluation of applicator comfort.
•  User acceptability of reader/antennas. User evaluations to be obtained from::
  Auction markets
• Loading facilities (on/off semi trailers at sites other than slaughterhouses
  and auction markets)
• On farm
• Entry point to slaughterhouses
  Shows/fair
•  Breeds differ in ear size and strength. How does this impact ear tag performance?
•  Environments that cause higher losses occur (woven wire, brush)
•  Numbers on the ear tags:
  Is there a practical reason to have the premise number printed on an RFID
  tag?
  How useful to the sheep or goat industry is the visual individual ID number?
  Should the industry request that this be a larger size to make it more
  readable?

Trials to start on or before July 1, 2004 - and continue through Dec 31, 2005 if
sheep and goat industry & APHIS deem necessary. Reports of progress sent
monthly to the lead university and APHIS as well as to the sources of commercial
equipment.

The actual change from the current scrapie premises number-based system to the US Premises
Identification Number will occur when the National Premises System is fully operational. In the
meantime the users will continue to apply tags with the present premises numbering system.

Phase II

If the tests of RFID ID components suggest that a tracking system is practical and funding is
secured and made available to the industry, the transition from a solely visual identification
system to a combination of RFID and visual devices would begin voluntarily in March 2006.
The combination of RFID and visual tags would become mandatory in July 2006 at which time
no other form of official tag can be used. The transition can begin earlier on a voluntary basis if
the first year of field trials successfully demonstrates that RFID tags are satisfactory to users in
a range of circumstances and if USDA/APHIS provides funding for the RFID devices.
RFID devices are planned to be printed with herd management ID along with USAIN number,
US Premises Number and other necessary information. The visual ID will be necessary for
accurate data recording during field necropsies and other scenarios where a reader isn’t
Stationary readers and antenna's can begin to be installed at official movement sites (markets,
loading yards, packing plants) from January 2006 onwards. A training program to educate the
primary users needs to be developed and made available prior to this time. USDA/APHIS or
another government entity will be expected to provide these devices.
Group/Lot ID will be permitted (as described in III.C.2.) when sheep move as a unit.

Phase III

Based on the assumption that Phases I and II have progressed satisfactorily, all sheep that
move from one premises to another premises would be required to have official RFID tags in
their ears and all movements would be submitted electronically to the National ID Database.
Target date: July 2008.