RFID report card

[SADIE]

Cost of the RFID eartag.

Where does .60 cents of each purchase price of the RFID tag go? The last I heard it went to CCIA system for wages, for data base.

In Alberta don't you get re-imbursed for you CCIA eartags?

In Saskatchewan and Manitoba at least that is not the case.

[SADIE]

Kato--

Question regarding your original post.

When you noticed 27 RFID tags missing in your cow-herd did you look at the other cows that had the RFID tags remaining. (I imagine the heads are swinging around on those girls also). Did you see the backs of any of those remaining RFID eartags.

In our cow-herd we did see that backs on some starting to break down in pieces but the RFID tag was still present. Those will be gone also in a short time. No backs so the BLOB falls out the front of the ear and there goes the RFID 15 digit data number. Trailers, pastures and countryside.

My photobucket account is not working this morning to post those appropriate pictures. Hauling pairs out today before the next forecasted rain in our area.

I have posted this before: THE RFID EARTAG SAGA CONTINUES AND WILL GO DOWN AS A FIASCO WORSE THAN THE LONG GUN REGISTRY. THE SERIAL NUMBERS AT LEAST HAD A CHANCE TO STAY ON THE REGISTERED GUNS.

[SADIE]

<a href="http://s1138.photobucket.com/albums/n523/kphaber/?action=view&current=004.jpg" target="_blank"></a>

Kato---as a producer do you remove these and replace at this time or wait till that cow shows up later in the chute and do it when the RFID eartag is missing.

section 179---Illegilly remove or cause removal of an eartag from an animal or carcass---this is a serious offence.

I am asking this for a reason. As a management tool it is easier to cross-reference the RFID eartag and deregister that tag that will be lost with the data base at this time and apply a new RFID eartag that is fresh and has a chance of lasting in that cows ear for the next 18 months.

Our experience challanging CFIA at a Tribunal hearing and witnessing other cattlemen along their journey. Those present understood from CFIA that they can apply a fine under the ANIMAL HEALTH ACT up to two years after the incidence. CFIA personnel are cowards. They do not fine you on site but send a beautiful registered letter to you by mail.

[kato]

There were two that were just hanging on by the edges of what was left of a broken back. They were both Allflex setaside tags, if you can believe that. They are the last tags of that kind on the farm. Out of fifty. We couldn't believe they lasted this long. We left one on, because the cow has a bit of a crooked horn that her ear hides behind. The other one is now wearing two tags, because we didn't trust her to come home with the broken one.

The other 25 were just plain gone. And no ears were ripped.

[grassfarmer]

Kato the cross referencing is simple. If we have a
yearling to sell that has lost a tag, just slap on a new
tag, come into the house, register the new number
with the original date of birth and you are good to go.
You don't "lose the age verification" because it's still
age verified. I haven't had to retag a young animal
we've sold since the fall of 2010. Cows get checked in
the alley on the way to town when we cull them -
missing tag, stick one on - end of story.
We get refunded the cost of tags up to the average #
of our calf crop the last 3 years. So in theory if you
replace any in either young cattle or cows you'd need
to buy the extras.

[kato]

But if a tag is lost, is it not supposed to be retired out of the system? I don't think we're supposed to just re-age verify them.

In Manitoba we get refunded zip. zero. nada. That's my main problem with the whole thing. If we were under Alberta's system however, we would have still bought over two hundred dollars worth of tags last year.

[grassfarmer]

As long as there is a half-assed system with no
enforcement I'm not going the extra mile Kato. When
you buy your tags they know who has them - if a calf
dies with a tag on before you age verify them there is
no logical need to retire the tag - doesn't matter to
anyone if the tag is sitting in my barn unused or
inside a coyote - it's either registered on the system
or it's not, if it's not it's nobodies business but mine.

It's an Alberta advantage not paying for calf tags for
sure, but hardly worth you selling up and moving
here with the land values as they are.
I checked back and see we sold 18 cull cows last year,
there would be maybe 9 to tag on the way out. Some
pre 2000 cows, some barcode tags to add an EID to
and a few lost tags. I'll say it again - very rarely do we
lose an EID tag that I've applied to a cow since they
started with them - from my perspective the accounts
of tag losses seem exaggerated.

[SADIE]

GRASSFARMER---WAKEUP AND LOOK AROUND

THE TAG LOSSES ARE ACCURATE. REPORTS HAVE COME IN NOW FROM ACROSS CANADA.

THEY ARE A SHORT TERM TAG ONLY SO LET US USE THEM THAT WAY AT THE MOST. RFID IN ANIMAL WHEN SELL ie CALF IN FALL, COW GOING TO SLAUGHTER THAT IS ALL THE SYSTEM IS TURNING OUT TO BE.

[kato]

That sounds sensible to me. We should tag them when we sell them. Period.

This business of having to re-tag them every spring when they go to pasture is not making sense. They are not changing hands. They are not mixing with other cattle. They are coming home again in the fall. We know where they are. They can be located if it was necessary. How much tracking is needed? Does the government really need to know which of our cows are in which pasture?

As far as I'm concerned traceability means being able to follow the chain of commerce, not tracking where our cows are on our own farm. What purpose does it serve?

Expensive noseyness, IMHO.

[grassfarmer]

SADIE, You can't claim to speak for all producers any
more than I can, you have one opinion and I have
another. For all the "Chicken Little" claims you and
others have made the system we have now is
working, thousands upon thousands of cattle are
moving around the country daily and weekly with rfid
tags on them. Have been for years now. Thousands
upon thousands of calves have been age verified and
that's working too. I just came in ten minutes ago and
the sky was still up there.