Electronic identification: Applications in beef production and research

Individual identification of beef cattle is not new to the Canadian beef in dustry, as traceback systems played a pivotal role in the eradication of bo vine tuberculosis in the 1940s and 1950s and brucellosis in the 1970s and 1 980s. Recent concerns over animal health (e.g., bovine spongiform encephaol opathy), export markets, product consistency, meat quality (e.g., tendernes s, marbling) and safety (e.g., Escherichia, coli O157:H7, Salmonella spp.) make reestablishment of a traceback system a logical approach to assuring c onsumer confidence in Canadian beef. Originally, simple Kurl-lock(TM) ear t ags with a unique number were used to trace individuals back to their herd of origin. Although useful for addressing disease concerns, this system did not lend itself to compiling additional information (e.g., growth performa nce, animal health, breeding programs, carcass quality) for use in manageme nt or marketing decisions. More sophisticated electronic identification sys tems can readily interface with computers and make information management a n even more pivotal component of beef production. Several electronic identi fication systems (e.g., bar codes, radio frequency identification, read-wri te systems) are being assessed for their effectiveness for identifying indi vidual cattle under production conditions. In research applications, this t echnology has the potential for individual animals to become the experiment al unit under group housing conditions. By combining electronic identificat ion technology with devices that measure physiological (e.g., temperature, pH, body weight, feed intake) parameters, researchers will be able to colle ct data in natural production environments that were previously only obtain able under controlled experimental conditions with a limited number of anim als.