IDENTIFICATION METHOD OF LIVESTOCK

    IDENTIFICATION METHODS OF LIVESTOCK

               LIVESTOCK : It is domesticated animal, rearing by human for commercial purpose (milk, meat, eggs, etc.,).Livestock including cattle, goat, sheep and Poultry, etc.,

IMPORTANCE OF IDENTIFICATION OF LIVESTOCK:

       1) It is primarily essential for the management of a good herd(மந்தை) of animals and also it is essential for the herd improvement. 

       2) It solves the disputes(விவாதம்) over lost or stolen(திருடப்பட்டது)animals by establishing the ownership. 

       3) It is essential for the recording of economic production performance of the animal.

       4) It is also necessary for getting recognition(அங்கீகாரம்) in Associations like Dairy Herd Improvement Association (DHIA).

       5) It is also required for culling(removal of uneconomical animal in the herd).

       6) It is necessary to find out the progeny(young one) or off springs. 

       7) It is also required for giving health and vaccination certificates especially when they animal transported from one herd to another herd.

       8) It is very importance  for insurance of livestock against the loss either by disease or by accidents. 

       9) It is also used for  control and identify the disease like T.B., Brucellosis,etc.,

LIVESTOCK CAN BE IDENTIFIED BY TWO METHODS:

They are,

                 1)NATURAL METHOD,

                 2)ARTIFICIAL METHOD.

FACTORS IN SELECTING THE METHOD OF IDENTIFICATION:

       1)It should be easy to apply.

       2) It should be less dangerous to the Livestock and the human.

       3)It should remain for longer period.

       4)It should give maximum with minimum amount of letters, numbers, figures etc. 

       5)There should not be any repetition.

       6)It should be easy for alteration.

       7)It should be simple that anybody can understand easily.

                               NATURAL METHODS

A)COLOUR:

      This can be classified into three groups;

       i) WHOLE COLOUR: one colour through out the body. The head and limbs may have white, black or any other colour.

       ii) DOUBLE COLOUR: Mixing of more than one colour without any clear demarcation (வரையரை)between the colours on the body of the animal.

       iii) BROKEN COLOUR: Admixture (கலவை)of more than one colour with clear line of demarcation between the colours on the body of the animal.

B)MARKINGS:

       i)STAR: White coloured marking on the forehead.

      ii)STRIP: White coloured marking on the nasal(மூக்கு)bridge.

     iii)SNIP(வெட்டு): A unique white coloured marking on the nasal bridge.

      iv)BLAZE: White coloured marking covering the entire forehead

                               ARTIFICIAL METHODS

A)TAGGING:

          Two types; 

                    1)Self piercing(குத்துதல்)type 

                    2)non piercing type

            It is a permanent method of identification. Tags are made up of metal or plastic with letters and/or numbers stamped on them.

TOOLS REQUIRED: tags and tagging forceps / applicator.

B) TATTOOING:

             It is also permanent method of identification. Outline of desired numbers and letters are pierced in inner flap of the ear and the tattooing ink is applied over it.

TOOLS REQUIRED: tattooing forceps, tattooing ink and tattoo numbers and letters.

C)BRANDING:

          Two types,

                   1)Hot iron branding,

                   2) Freeze branding.

     1)HOT IRON BRANDING:

              The hot iron destroys the hair follicles (நுண்ணறைகள்)and leaves a permanent bald(வழுக்கை) scar(தழும்பு) over the skin of the animal.

TOOLS REQUIRED: Branding rod.

     2)FREEZE BRANDING:

             Freezing will destroy the melanocytes of the skin of the animal and therefore only white hairs will grow at the site.

TOOLS REQUIRED: branding rod and Liquid Nitrogen (-196°C).

 D) EAR NOTCHING: 

         👉It is a permanent method of identification and has the advantage of being visible from a distance .

        👉An ear notching pliers are used to put “V” shaped notches in the edges of the ear and a hole punch is used to punch holes in the middle of the ear.

        👉As this process results in bleeding, the notching pliers should be disinfected to prevent transmission of blood borne diseases. 

        👉Tincture iodine should be applied 

in the notches and holes. 

E)MICROCHIP:

         👉A microchip implant is an identifying integrated circuit placed under the skin of an 

animal. 

       

         👉The chip, about the size of a large grain of rice, uses passive RFID (Radio Frequency 

Identification) technology, and is also known as a PIT tag (for Passive Integrated 

Transponder).

          👉The microchip is inserted below the skin of the animal using microchip injector 

Special microchip reader is used to read the chip.

F)WING BAND:

         👉 Wing band is made up of aluminum with the numbers embossed on its plates.

         👉It is applied on the dorsal border(முதுகுப்பக்கம்) of the 

wing. It is preferred in the case of young chick / broiler. 

G)LEG BAND:

         

         👉 It is also made up of aluminium, with embossed numbers on one end with two small 

projections. 

         👉At the other end there are four holes. The leg band is applied on the shank region. 

         👉It is mainly applied in the case of breeder stock, layer and cock. 

METHODS  USED  FOR  CATTLE  IDENTIFICATION:

                1)Natural markings, 

                2)tattooing, 

                3)tagging, 

                4)branding and 

                5)microchip.

METHODS USED FOR SHEEP AND GOAT IDENTIFICATION:

                1)Tattooing, 

                2)tagging,

                3)ear notching and 

                4)microchip.

METHODS  USED  FOR  POULTRY IDENTIFICATION:

                1)Wing band and

                2)Leg band.

METHOD  USED FOR  PIGGERY  IDENTIFICATION:

                1)Ear Notching.

CONCLUSION:

               

                 1)Artificial method  is more effective method of identification in the live stock.

                 2)It is followed, when the live stock's population is high.

     

                 3)Natural method of identification in livestock is followed, when the live stock's population is low.