Effective animal identification and movement control are fundamental components of modern animal-health systems. They enable competent authorities to identify animals and holdings, record movements, trace contacts and respond rapidly when animal-health problems occur.
Food Control Consultants Ltd (FCC) provides specialist advice on the design, assessment and implementation of animal identification and movement control systems and the databases required to support them.
Animal Identification Systems
An effective identification system must provide a reliable link between animals, their place of origin and the persons responsible for them.
Depending on the species and production system, identification may be based on individual animals, groups or batches.
FCC can assist with the development and assessment of systems covering:
- registration of holdings and establishments;
- registration of animal keepers and operators;
- individual or group identification of animals;
- allocation and management of identification numbers;
- recording births, deaths and other relevant events;
- replacement and management of identification devices;
- links between animals and holdings; and
- procedures for verification and official control of identification.
The system must be appropriate to the national production structure and sufficiently simple and practical to achieve a high level of compliance.
Animal Movement Control
Identification becomes particularly valuable when combined with reliable recording of animal movements.
Movement-control systems allow competent authorities to determine where animals are located, where they originated and where they have previously been kept or moved.
FCC can assist with systems for:
- registration of movements between holdings;
- markets and assembly centres;
- movements to slaughterhouses;
- imports and exports;
- movement permits and documentation;
- movement restrictions;
- recording temporary movements;
- verification of movement information; and
- tracing animals during disease investigations.
The design of the system should provide authorities with the information they need without imposing unnecessary administrative burdens on farmers, operators or veterinary services.
Supporting Databases
Modern identification and movement-control systems normally depend on a central database capable of managing large quantities of information accurately and reliably.
The database may contain information on:
- animals or groups of animals;
- holdings and establishments;
- owners and keepers;
- identification devices;
- births and deaths;
- movements;
- imports and exports;
- slaughter; and
- relevant animal-health status or restrictions.
FCC can assist clients in defining the functional requirements of such databases and, importantly, ensuring that the database reflects the regulatory and operational requirements of the animal identification and movement-control system.
The objective is not simply to develop an IT system. The legislation, administrative procedures, responsibilities, data flows and database must operate as one coherent system.
Traceability and Disease Control
One of the most important purposes of animal identification and movement recording is to provide rapid and reliable traceability during an animal-disease outbreak.
The system should allow veterinary authorities to identify:
- the origin of affected animals;
- previous and subsequent movements;
- holdings that may have been exposed;
- animals that may have had epidemiological contact; and
- locations requiring investigation or movement restrictions.
The speed and accuracy with which this information can be obtained may have a significant effect on the ability of veterinary authorities to contain an outbreak.
Identification and movement databases therefore form an important component of animal-disease preparedness and control.
Data Quality and Verification
An identification database is only as useful as the information it contains.
Systems therefore need mechanisms for identifying missing, inconsistent or incorrect information and for verifying compliance with identification and movement-reporting requirements.
FCC can assist with the development of:
- data-validation rules;
- verification procedures;
- consistency checks;
- exception reporting;
- inspection and control procedures;
- performance indicators; and
- systems for correcting inaccurate records.
Analysis of database information can itself assist competent authorities in targeting official controls towards holdings, operators or activities where problems are most likely to occur.
Integration with Other Systems
Animal identification and movement information may also be valuable to other components of the veterinary and food-control system.
Depending on national requirements, the database may exchange information with:
- animal-health and disease-surveillance systems;
- veterinary laboratory systems;
- geographical information systems (GIS);
- veterinary certification systems;
- slaughterhouse and meat-inspection systems;
- farm-assurance schemes;
- milk-recording systems; and
- breed and herd registers.
Appropriate integration can reduce duplication of data collection and increase the value of information already available within the identification and movement-control system.
Legislation and Institutional Arrangements
Successful animal identification systems depend on more than technology.
Clear legislation and procedures are required to establish responsibilities for identification, registration, movement reporting, record keeping and enforcement.
FCC can assist with the assessment and development of the legal, institutional and administrative framework supporting identification and movement controls, including responsibilities of competent authorities, animal keepers, markets, slaughterhouses and other operators.
From Concept to Implementation
FCC can provide support throughout the development of an animal identification and movement-control system, including:
- assessment of existing arrangements;
- definition of system objectives and requirements;
- development of identification and movement-control procedures;
- definition of database requirements;
- development of data flows and business processes;
- preparation of legislation and implementing procedures;
- development of official-control and verification systems;
- training of competent-authority personnel; and
- assessment and improvement of existing systems.
FCC’s approach is to develop the control system and information system together, ensuring that the database supports the practical needs of veterinary authorities and animal keepers.
Contact FCC
Contact Food Control Consultants Ltd to discuss the development, assessment or improvement of animal identification, movement control, traceability and associated database systems.