Microchips

[Judith]

This question may have been asked a zillion times before but... Why doesnt the cattle industry used microchips instead of ear tags. If one universal chip was used, the cow could be id'ed throughout it's lifetime. I know that the odd chip will migrate, they are not cheap and that they are internal not external. But a brand on the outside and a chip on the inside seems to be the safest way to track. No way anyone could switch tags.

Is it just a cost issue at this point?

 

[HAY MAKER]

This question may have been asked a zillion times before but... Why doesnt the cattle industry used microchips instead of ear tags. If one universal chip was used, the cow could be id'ed throughout it's lifetime. I know that the odd chip will migrate, they are not cheap and that they are internal not external. But a brand on the outside and a chip on the inside seems to be the safest way to track. No way anyone could switch tags.

Is it just a cost issue at this point?

Good question Judith,I think the reasoning is tags are more economical & cattle man friendly,like you stated chips can migrate and be harder to find/read,last I heard Horses are still going to be micro chipped............good luck

 

[Sandhusker]

This question may have been asked a zillion times before but... Why doesnt the cattle industry used microchips instead of ear tags. If one universal chip was used, the cow could be id'ed throughout it's lifetime. I know that the odd chip will migrate, they are not cheap and that they are internal not external. But a brand on the outside and a chip on the inside seems to be the safest way to track. No way anyone could switch tags.

Is it just a cost issue at this point?

I think you partially answered your question when you said "not cheap".

 

[ocm]

This question may have been asked a zillion times before but... Why doesnt the cattle industry used microchips instead of ear tags. If one universal chip was used, the cow could be id'ed throughout it's lifetime. I know that the odd chip will migrate, they are not cheap and that they are internal not external. But a brand on the outside and a chip on the inside seems to be the safest way to track. No way anyone could switch tags.

Is it just a cost issue at this point?

Microchips also migrate from the location where they are implanted. That means a higher chance of getting it in your hamburger. Not acceptable.

 

[andybob]

Cost has always been the most quoted reason for not using microchips.
Tags with chips are in common use either in ear or around the neck in high tech dairies and pig units, which controll everything from feeding to production recording. No doubt research will bring about a cost effective chip that won't migrate which will be more practicle for the beef producer.

 

[Cowpuncher]

Judith - Let's say I want one of my hands to go out in the herd and bring in cow # 1120. If there are 200 cows in the herd, how do you find the one you want? Both people need a chip reader which will work at considerable distances.

Now, if the reader only had a laser pointer which would automatically scan the herd and point out the cow. This isn't aways easy with tags when the cows are all pure black or red.

Even worse when several herds are combines at shipping or working.

 

[kolanuraven]

Judith.....your idea makes excellent sense.....so that's why no one had done it.


Cuts out too many middle men!!!!

 

[William Kanitz]

If any of you are near Madision WI. and stop in this week to the World Dairy Expo we can show you the RFID Technology,chip,tag,bolus, and brand ID smart photo at the booth ,I.D.ology .The CrossFire™ Alley Reader reads all HDX and FDX tags that are ISO 11784/11785 compliant. We can show you the long range ID-ology readers that send data thru a PDA to your cell phone directly to the ScoringAg database in real time or post time where there is not any cell towers.By the way we just got the nation of Kenya started with cattle ID.They are using Digital Angel RFID and the ScoringAg database to be able to ship beef to Europe. Their national dairy herd is about 7 million head with other cattle at about 13 million head.

 

[Judith]

So we need a cost effective way to implant them.
A way to secure the darn things
and a way to individually identify each cow. Hmmmm. I like the tag with the chip idea, but you can still swap tags. Maybe we need a rolling brand like when we tatoo rabbits. ranch brand followed by a number for individual ident. and then the chip for perm ident.
Problem is some of the HUGE ranches would run out of leather trying to get cow number 65,000 branded on