Texas

The 2005 Panhandle Beef Conference will provide an update on the National Animal Identification System.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture announced in 2004 the animal identification plan would be phased in, with the first deadline facing producers in January 2008, said Dr. Ted McCollum, Texas Cooperative Extension beef cattle specialist.

Producers must have a premise identification number at that time, McCollum said. That sign-up has already started.

The conference, which will be held in conjunction with the annual Amarillo Farm and Ranch Show, will explore uses of animal identification and opportunities for cattle producers, said Leon Church, Texas Cooperative Extension agent in Potter County.

Registration will begin at 1:30 p.m. Dec. 1 in the Grand Plaza of the Amarillo Civic Center.

McCollum will open the program with a presentation on "Animal Identification--The National Animal Identification System and Beyond."

Other discussion will concern the Texas Cattle Feeders Association's Quality Systems Assessment for Age and Source Verification program and the role and requirements of cow-calf and stocker producers.

Animal identification has been at the forefront of industry issues since USDA announced a National Animal Identification System would be implemented, McCollum said.

The national system is intended to improve animal tracking and will be part of the national animal disease monitoring and control program in the U.S., he said.

Animal identification has implications in other areas of the livestock industry, McCollum said. Some of these areas, such as information management and sharing, marketing, age and source verification, are receiving more attention than the animal tracking/disease control objectives of the program, he said.

In addition to USDA, the Texas Animal Health Commission and other state agencies are providing input into the development and implementation of the system, McCollum said.