Any system has to have accountability to make it valuable.
The fine in Canada is $500 per animal not tagged. There was a 4-5% allowed missing tags rule for calves but that might have been closed.
The system is producer run and policed, the law was made by produer groups. If there is no penalties then it becomes a worthless program because some idiot will not tag.
The info of ownership is not available to packers, brand inspectors, market operators etc, unless they need to identify a stray, then the 1 number on the tag will be identifyed to brand inspectors only.
In case of disease outbreak the CFIA will have access to the herd of origin only on the tag(s) of the infected animals.
The numbers are random, no set is attached to one herd, the number range is registered at time of tag purchase.
The packers report the numbers to CCIA (database) on animals slaughtered so they can be retired, no further tracking is needed for live disease if the animal is dead. Traceback at the packers would be a seperate system but could use the CCIA tag as a backup. To give consumers herd of origin would take a change in the ID agreement. The ID we have is not designed to be carried to consumers. Consumers aren't demanding that anyway, or there would be more pasture to plate systems in operation.