National Animal Identification program?

[wendy4mini]

I was reading about a new voluntary program by the USDA to track livestock in this country. http://animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/index.shtml Does anyone know much about this program? I like the idea that all animals are microchipped, I was going to have all of mine done anyway just in case they are ever stolen. Will the AMHA or AMHR list the microchip on the horses papers? Any information would be great.

Thanks

 

[Marsha Cassada]

I would be concerned about microchipping animals for ID. There would have to be a huge data bank in order for the program to do any good. A friend in NM had her little dog of 10 years take a cruise in the neighborhood. Someone picked him up and took him to the humane society. They microchipped him without her permission. She had to present photographic proof that he was her dog before they would give him to her. What would be next? Our children? Ourselves? The potential for information brokers is too risky, in my opinion. Would a determined thief consider mutilating the animal to get rid of the chip?

 

[Davie]

Microchipping is great but be careful if you think they are a cure-all. Most microchip manufacturers still have a patent on their chips and therefore their chips can only be read by their reader.

9 out of 10 animals that are microchipped (dogs) that go to a pound are never identified because the pounds microchip reader can't read the chip that implanted into the animal. To my knowledge the manufacturerers have not gotten together and agreed to make a chip that can be read by any and all readers--a universal chip or a universal reader--they want to keep their ownerships rights in tact.

My suggestion is to do a freezbrand under the mane. This is the identification system that the Arabian Registery uses and has been used for years. A little more pricy but it can not be altered without destroying the brand.

 

[justjinx]

My concern with the microchipping---if a horse is stolen and taken to a sale will they really be checked for the microchips?

i am actually in favor of freeze branding instead---under the mane like arabs and half arabs. Is this possible with minis? is it allowed in minis? does anyone do it?

thanks for any info! jennifer

 

[wendy4mini]

My understanding is that the program is voluntary this year but will be mandatory for all livestock be registered in the future. The main reason is to be able to track the movements of animals that either have or been in contact with possible diseases. The microchipping will be universal.

 

[Horsefeathers]

In the state of Louisiana, when you have your coggins done, the horse is either tattoo'd under the lip or microchipped in the neck... my stallion is microchipped. So, when the vet came out to do his coggins so we could move him here (to Texas) all the owner info came up and everything... really nice, but kinda $$. As for the sale barns and such... when they are unloaded (at the two sale barns we go too) they ARE scanned for microchips and you have to show some kinda proof of ownership or permission to sell. If they don't have a microchip that's fine, but it's just another way to check. I know it can't catch them all, but it has to help some. Just my thoughts...

Chris B.

 

[justjinx]

Thanks, Chris, glad to know they DO get checked! jennifer

 

[Bess Kelly]

AMHA will put the chip # on your registration for you, yes. AMHR, I don't know.

Hunt House Farms used to microchip their horses and naturally had readers. They got the chips from AMHA & I suppose they still have them for sale....???? But, the main reason for them was to be able to identify with CERTAINTY, their own animals at the farm before administering vaccines, etc. Plus, as it was told to me, they wanted to be sure the farm help were telling them about the correct animal if they called with an "emergency" if they were away from the farm, they could be certain which animal was breeding whom, etc. Hey, a bay is a bay -- is a bay!

And a hired hand is a hired hand is a --- get the picture?

Most all "systems" have their faults. In our State, they are looking to identify the stock that is in the food chain, most importantly. When we raised Boers, they used tattoo and/or microchip for all registrations. In fact, I still have a few of the unused chips right now.

 

[Davie]

Jennifer, the company that does the Arabians when I had them was Kryo Kinetics Asso, PO Box 12490, Tucson AZ 85732-2490. Their phone number is 520-293-5448 but they do say to go to their website and they have a form to fill out requesting prices, dates they will be in your area etc.

Their website is: www.horseweb.com/client/kka

I know that the more horses you have done in one place the lower the cost gets.

This is the way I'll be going. Had arabs for years and they were all freezemarked under the mane.

 

[justjinx]

Davie--thank you! this is just what I needed! We really wanted to do something but were trying to figure the best way to do it and this is the way we want to go.

thanks again! jennifer

 

[Pepipony]

Each brand of chip has its own reader, usually. I had seen where a SPCA/Humane Soc would not check the animal for a chip because then they had to keep it for an extended period of time. Wish I could recall where I saw that.