Canadian Cattle Identification Program

The only national cattle identification program in North America, the Canadian Cattle Identification Program was established by cattle producers in 2001 and today is mandatory for all cattle leaving their herd of origin. The purpose of the program is the containment and eradication of animal health disease.

Each head of cattle in Canada must have a Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) approved ear tag applied prior to leaving the farm of origin. All tags are visually and electronically imbedded with a unique identification number that is allocated from a national database. The unique number of each individual animal is maintained to the point of export or carcass inspection.

In the event that a serious animal health issue is identified, the Canadian Food Inspection Agency has two points from which to trace that animal's movements - the point where the health issue was identified, and its herd of origin. This permits the source of a problem to be identified and eradicated more quickly than if no identification program was in place.

The Canadian Cattle Identification Program has been recognized internationally for its effectiveness and cost-efficiency.

For more information on the Canadian Cattle Identification program visit the CCIA website.