Simplify Livestock Identification with Electronic Animal RFID Ear Tags

Are you having trouble identifying your animals? Looking to streamline your livestock inspections?

Health checks, pregnancy checks, and vaccinations for your cattle, sheep, goats, pigs, or other herd animals don't have to be difficult. Utilizing radio frequencies and scanning devices, you can quickly gather information about your animals.

Read on to learn how Electronic Identification (EID or RFID) tags can take the guesswork out of animal inspections.

The quick and accurate identification of your livestock is critical. You have a lot to get done on the farm. That quick identification can tell you which animal you have in front of you, the animal's history, genealogy, and health. However, using visual identification has its limitations. For instance, if all the animals look the same, or their visual identification is hard to see because of mud or dirt, it's hard, if not impossible, to tell them apart. Or, even worse, the animal could also lose its ear tag. Now, add to the challenge of recording all the information you took from the animals (on paper). Enter the hero of this story: RFID tags.

What Are Livestock RFID/EID Tags

RFID or EID tags are a tag that emits a frequency with that animal's specific number. This is then picked up by a reader that identifies that animal very quickly. It is a technology that makes tracking your herd animals like cattle, sheep, goats, and pigs very easy and quick.

These tags have all the features of a visual ear tag but are combined with the assurance of data integrity and traceability because human error in tracking is reduced. Electronic tags can be scanned but can also be verified visually. These tags come in a few different types, most commonly HDX and FDX.

Half Duplex or HDX tags utilize communication technology that transmits one way at a time to the scanner or reader, kind of like a walky-talky. The reader sends out a call or signal, and the tag replies. This can lead to faster data. This type of technology allows for reading at greater distances. It works well for automated systems, in milk parlors, and weighing machines.

Standard Performance Full Duplex or FDX tags use technology similar to talking on the phone. Both sides are both transmitter and receiver. Both the tag and the reader talk to each other simultaneously. Since the information is being transmitted both ways, the data is able to be shared more quickly.

Each of these types of tags is small, round, and goes on the ear. Once you've attached the tags to the animals, you can then easily scan the tag during weight check-ins, pregnancy checks, or other health checks. In addition to being able to track an animal’s history, RFID tags can help you determine which ones are performing well and which ones need a little help or intervention. In addition to the EID tags, you'll want to invest in a good scanner that is designed to work with the tags you selected and supports capturing relevant data points. Depending on how close to the animal you want to get, you can even use readers that have been designed for pets, which are much less expensive.

Instead of manually recording data in a spreadsheet, information like weight can be saved from a scale and then saved directly to your computer or farm record keeping software. This data can then be easily exported and synced to other systems for complete and accurate record keeping. This reduces user data entry errors and saves time in overall data entry.

Benefits of Using Livestock Electronic ID (EID) Tags

There are many advantages of using RFID tags in your agricultural operation. It lets you easily identify your animals. Second, it avoids some of the limitations of line-of-sight tags, tattoos, or barcode scans where you need to visually see or are only able to scan one animal at a time. Instead, RFID tags do not require line-of-site, and multiple RFID tags can be detected remotely and read all at once, which reduces time during inventory counts, loading, and sorting.

RFIDs tags are becoming not only a help to farmers and ranchers but a requirement. They help meet regulations for traceability by providing a way to scan animals quickly in case of a quarantine or disease outbreak. This traceability information also builds consumer confidence in your farm by knowing how and where that animal was raised.

Other benefits of using RFID tags are that they can help provide fast information about performance for breeding and other production decisions.

The RFID tag usually lasts for the life of the animal. Frequency varies from company to company, so check with the manufacturer on your tag transmissions and if a reader will also work together. It's important to note that you can use different tags with different readers if they are all ISO compliant.

Overall, using these RFID livestock ear tags for cattle, sheep, pigs, goats, and other livestock can make check-in days more efficient (less stressful) for you and your animals. You can also find custom cattle ear tags and other custom animal ear tags if you want to customize the ear tags with your ranch name or a unique ID scheme.

Choosing an EID Stick Reader

EID stick readers, wands, and panel readers can help you identify livestock quickly and accurately. Depending on the features of the reader, they can be used to easily capture key health, location, growth, and weight metrics. These readers typically work over wifi or Bluetooth.

There are a lot of different EID scanners, stick readers, wands, and panels on the market. When considering a reader, some key features that you should consider are:

Key EID/RFID Scanner Features:

1) Ease of Use

The device should be comfortable to hold and be simple to use, with clear controls and menus that are easy to navigate. There's nothing worse than fumbling with your scanner while a 1,500 lb animal is anxiously waiting in a head gate.

2) Scanning Feedback

Look for devices that provide clear alerts for scanned livestock, like a flashlight's beeps or vibration.

3) Durability

Nothing is worse than having to stop a weighing session because your scanner breaks. Look for a durable stick reader that has solid reviews and reliability ratings. Be sure to ensure the device has a waterproof rating, provides clear feedback on battery life, and comes with a decent warranty.

4) Data Storage & Customization

Most stick readers are capable of storing tens of thousands of records and allow for the creation and storage of data in custom fields. Look for scanners that can capture the information you need and have enough storage to work across multiple sessions to allow extra time between syncing.

5) Export and Integrations

More than likely, once you've captured all the data from your scanner, you're going to want to sync it into your favorite livestock record-keeping system (hopefully, Farmbrite). Most readers have the ability to sync data over wifi or Bluetooth to your computer. Make sure you can easily export data from the scanner system in a format that is compatible with your farm management software. You don't want to be stuck with livestock record-keeping or farm management software that doesn't meet your needs because of your stick reader.

There are a wide variety of EID scanners, stick readers, wands, and panel readers on the market, so be sure to do your research.

• Talk to other farmers to see what works for them

• Consult your farm management software company for recommendations

• Ask for demos from the device companies

• See if you can take a device for a test drive

Integrating Livestock RFID/EID and Record-Keeping Systems

Most RFID scanners will allow you to quickly and easily scan and record key livestock information (like weight, height, BCS, etc), but what do you do with this data? Almost all RFID scanners allow you to export the data from their system as a CSV (comma separated file). Some scanners allow syncing to farm management systems via Bluetooth. Bluetooth connections are sometimes prone to issues, especially in highly dynamic and remote areas like a barn or a paddock. We recommend in order to reduce any potential issues with data syncing between your device and farm management software, be sure the device also supports CSV exports. By exporting this data, you can easily import updated livestock health and measurement data into your favorite livestock record keeping system.

If you need help keeping track of your cattle, sheep, goats, or other livestock, give Farmbrite a try. Farmbrite helps you easily upload and import your livestock RFID scans to Farmbrite and streamline the recording of key livestock details without having to manually enter them. Let us help you simplify your cattle management or livestock management processes.