Veterinarian Speaks Out
MEAT INDUSTRY: Vet calls animal ID proposals overkill
The North Dakota Board of Animal Health veterinarian is developing a proposal for a "hybrid" animal trace-back system that relies more on existing systems - cattle branding and paper trails on livestock transactions - and not switching immediately to expensive individual electronic tracking for all animals.
The federal government is in the process of implementing a National Animal Identification System. The system is voluntary but could become mandatory. It would be based on a national registration of farms and feedlots, coupled with electronic tags for each animal.
What a novel concept, use the existing brand system instead of the complicated NAIS for animal trackback.
"We have a system that actually works quite well because it is associated with title and real dollars," he says.
Wow, a system that actually works. The only problem? Some Government bureaucrat might have to get off his fat ass and look at the records instead of just calling it up on a computer. [sarcasm]Them government employees are so abused, aren't they. Expect them to do some work, poor babies.[/sarcasm]
An ear tag never stopped a disease, but government employees sure want it to make their life easier at tremendous cost to producers.
