Avian & Swine Identification
Poultry
Poultry moving directly to slaughter, poultry moving from a hatchery to a redistributor or grower, and poultry moving from a redistributor to a grower may be exempt from these requirements.
All poultry requires individual, official identification prior to being moved interstate, although it does not need to be recorded on their Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI).
Official Identification Methods
- Sealed and Numbered leg bands
- Group/Lot identification
These are the only poultry identification methods considered official for the purpose of interstate movement.
If you are a veterinarian needing to order tags, you can contact the USDA Boise office at (208) 373-1620.
Swine
Animals which would otherwise require identification may go directly to an approved slaughter facility, to be slaughtered within 3 days, with a USDA-approved backtag in lieu of other identification.
All swine require individual, official identification prior to being moved interstate. They must always have individual, official identification listed on their Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI).
Official Identification Methods
- Ear Notch – only if registered with a purebred association
- Ear or inner flank tattoos – only if registered with a purebred association
- Microchip for pet pigs
- PIN Tags for Slaughter Swine
- USDA Silver Tag (8 or 9 characters) – see below
- 840-RFID tag – see below
USDA Silver Tag (8 or 9 characters)
840-RFID Tag
These are the only swine identification methods considered official for interstate movement. Other identification types, such as brands, unregistered notches/tattoos, or farm/ranch tags are not considered official identification for the purpose of interstate movement.
If you are a veterinarian needing to order tags for swine, RFIDs can be ordered through any ear tag distributor.
A state-federal cooperative program for testing and certification of poultry flocks.
