If you are an animal lover, be it managing livestock or caring for pets, you need to keep regular records for ease of tracking, maintenance, and health history. However, doing this manually is draining and highly prone to errors.
To simplify the process, invest in RFID tags for animal tracking. These tags automate record-keeping, making animal maintenance a breeze.
Besides traditional ear tags, these RFID chips can also be integrated into custom collars, bands, and other strategic wearables. Here’s a complete guide on how to use them.
What Are RFID Tags for Animal Tracking?
RFID tags for animal tracking refer to an electronic identification system designed to enable farmers and pet lovers to keep track of their animals hassle-free. Unlike traditional barcode methods, RFID tags have been tailor-made to work optimally even in an unfriendly environment. Even when the substrate (outer layer) is destroyed, the reader will still read the chip hassle-free.
Also, the reader does not require a line of sight. Therefore, the animal may be identified while moving along the chute or even walking across the pastureland without anyone catching them first.
But how exactly do these tags work?
These tags have an in-built microchip that contains a 15-digit number according to the ISO 11784/11785 international standard. This code is linked to the animal’s digital file in your farm management software, showing information about their health, vaccines, breeding, weight, and ownership.
Usually, the tags use low frequency since they can be read even in wet conditions as they are not affected by water. This unique feature is critical when choosing the ideal RFID tags for animal tracking. Other higher frequency may not work well with animals, due to wet environments and blood within the animal affecting the signals.
What are the Main Features of RFID Tags for Animal Tracking?
Unlike RFID tags designed for human use, RFID tags for animal tracking are tailor-made to stick firmly and last longer. This is due to the unpredictability of their use. Here are their main distinctive features:
- Designed to Enhance Retention
RFID tags for animal tracking have a special locking mechanism to avoid loss. Once locked, they cannot pull apart without cutting them. Also, they have well-rounded edges to prevent them from getting caught on fences or bushes.
In cases of collars, manufacturers can attach small weights to keep the chip facing the right side. This way, the scanner will always read it.
- Tough Materials for Durability
These tags are made out of a unique flexible rubber-like substance that is flexible during the coldest winters and does not melt or break during the hottest summers. The chip computer and the cables within are totally enclosed in this plastic and cannot be affected by mud, rain, or even the animal’s manure.
This material is non-harmful to the body of the animal and does not cause any infection when in contact with its skin.
- Enhanced Visual and Electronic Features
Big identification numbers are imprinted on plastic using lasers instead of being marked with an ink pen. This ensures that the numbers will not be washed off by anything since they will never fade.
In addition, there are tags of various forms, depending on whether or not a human is required to read the numbers from a distance. For instance, there could be big “flag-shaped” tags for a human reader and small “button-shaped” for the machine.
How RFID Tags for Animal Tracking Work
There is no power source in the chip present in the tag since the chip is passive. The antenna receives the radio waves sent by the reader and transmits the ID number back to the reader in milliseconds.
Farmers and pest owners can use:
- Fixed panel readers located at the chute entrance, the feed station, or on the weighing scale read the animal’s identification automatically when the animals go past them.
- Handheld reader enables farmers to read animals one by one while on the farm,
Both readers feed the information into farm management software where it is identified, approved, and matched to its specific animal. The record of that particular animal is then shown for the farmer to make informed decisions.
What RFID Tags for Animal Tracking Actually Track
The identification number itself is just the starting point. What matters is what that number connects to your management system, and the range of data it can link to is broader than most farmers expect.
Here is what a well-implemented RFID ear tag system tracks:
- Health Records.When an animal passes a reader at a veterinary chute, the system pulls its complete medical history instantly, showing vaccinations received, treatments due, and any known conditions. This eliminates the risk of over-vaccinating or under-dosing, both of which are costly problems in large herds.
- Breeding History.Farmers can link breeding records to individual animals, track pregnancy status, monitor expected calving dates, and identify lineage without any manual cross-referencing of paper records.
- Weight and Growth.When a weighing scale connects to a reader, the system records each animal’s weight against its ID automatically every time it crosses the scale, revealing patterns in growth rates that indicate which animals need dietary adjustments or veterinary attention.
- Movement and Location.Fixed readers at field gates, water points, and feeding areas to build a picture of how animals move across the property. If an animal fails to appear at a regular feeding point, the system flags it before a health problem becomes serious.
Choosing the Right Frequency for RFID Tags for Animal Tracking
RFID tags work at different frequencies, and the distinction makes a significant impact on the read distance and effectiveness in particular conditions.
Low frequency (LF) RFID tags that work at 134.2 kHz have become the worldwide standard for tagging cows in compliance with ISO 11784/11785. LF tags operate effectively in proximity to water and metal, which is very important for the environment of livestock; hence, such RFID tags can serve as a standard option for farms.
UHF RFID tags working at a frequency ranging from 860 to 960 MHz allow reading distances up to seven meters, which means that several animals can be read simultaneously when moving through a chute or gate. UHF RFID tags are efficient for big farms, but their signal is more influenced by water and tissues of animals.
Are RFID Tags for Animal Tracking Painful for Animals?
This is one of the most frequent questions raised by farmers who have just started using RFID tags, and the good news is that it does not cause any pain. In fact, it works much like human ear piercing, and it doesn’t leave any long-term impact on animals’ behavior.
Besides, other non-invasive techniques can be used. If the farmer is not interested in ear piercing, they can opt for collars, lanyards, or other pain-free techniques.
Conclusion
RFID tags for animal tracking are no longer just an option for efficiency but are a mandatory component of many of the biggest livestock markets worldwide. The farmers who embraced them from the start are working with a precision that no manual method can compare to.
No matter if the aim is improved health tracking, better breeding records, regulation compliance, or faster processing before sale, RFID tags for animal tracking deliver results in all aspects of livestock management.
