Livestock traceability is the ability to follow one animal or a group of animals from one point in the supply chain to another.
Livestock traceability systems are based on three basic elements:
- animal identification
- premises identification
- animal movement
Traceability systems are important, effective tools that can be used for many things, including:
- protection of animal health
- public health
- food safety
They can help reduce response times during an emergency or outbreak, thereby limiting economic, environmental and social impacts of disease outbreaks, food safety issues and natural disasters.
Effective traceability includes identification and movement reporting. The regulations for cattle, bison, sheep, pigs and farmed wild boars are outlined in the Health of Animals Regulations.
Objectives
Regulatory requirements
- General description of regulatory requirements
- Livestock producers
- Intermediate Sites: Tagging Sites, Auctions, Feedlots and Assembly Yards (e.g. auction, assembly yard, feedlot, fair, rodeo, test station)
- Operators of Abattoirs, Rendering Plants and Dead Stock Collection Centres (e.g. abattoir, rendering plant, dead stock collection centre)
- Exporters and Importers of Live Animals
- Livestock Carriers
Management of animal traceability information
- Description of animal traceability information, its usage and disclosure
- To whom animal traceability information must be reported: Responsible Administrators
- How to report animal traceability information
Premises identification
- Get your premises identified
- National premises identification tool Use to verify if a premises identification number is valid.
Animal identification
- List of approved indicators (bison, cattle, sheep, pigs)
- List of pre-approved indicators (cervid, goat)
- List of revoked indicators
- Order an approved or pre-approved indicator
- Give feedback about approved indicators
- Get a herd mark for a group of pigs
- How to identify imported and exported bison, cattle, sheep and pigs
Animal movement
- Federal requirements for information to accompany animals
- Provincial requirements for information to accompany animals
- Readers of electronic ear tags
Additional information
News releases
- 2017-07-25 – News Release: Livestock premises ID participation strengthens Canadian agriculture
- 2016-08-24 – Notice to Industry: Amendments to the Agriculture and Agri-Food Administrative Monetary Penalties Regulations regarding pig traceability
- 2015-03-09 – Notice to Industry: Mandatory identification and reporting requirements for pigs and farmed wild boars
Proposed regulations
- What we heard report – Consultation on proposed changes to Part XV of the Health of Animals Regulations (Identification and Traceability), 2023, Canada Gazette Part I
- Proposed changes to Part XV of the Health of Animals Regulations (Identification and Traceability)
- Regulatory update newsletters
General information
- Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada – Traceability information
- Attestra
- Canadian Cattle Identification Agency
- Canadian National Goat Federation – Identification Program
- Canadian Sheep Federation – Identification Program
- Dairy cattle
- PigTrace Canada
- Videos: livestock and poultry traceability in Canada