US CattleTrace will assist animal health officials by responding to events of foreign animal disease
Cargill has joined US CattleTrace as an official packer member. Cargill is the second beef processor to invest in the effort formed by multiple state cattlemen’s organisations to develop a national infrastructure for animal disease traceability in the US cattle industry. US CattleTrace will assist animal health officials by responding to events of foreign animal disease within the US cattle herd to limit any impact to daily operations and help maintain access to important beef export markets.
Using ear tags and radiofrequency technologies, US CattleTrace collects critical data, including individual animal identification numbers as well as the date, time and GPS location of the animal. The programme utilises the collected data to track animals in the event of a disease outbreak, as well as track the animal from birth location to each location they travel to before reaching a processor for harvest. An ear tag with an electronic chip interacts with the radio frequency emitted by the reader. Tags are electronic but not battery operated, meaning they can last the lifetime of the animal.
The new US CattleTrace initiative combines the efforts of CattleTrace, which included multiple partners from across the country, as well as traceability pilot projects in Florida and Texas. The partner organisations include the Kansas Livestock Association, Florida Cattlemen’s Association, Texas Cattle Feeders Association, Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association and Kentucky Cattlemen’s Association.
“Reducing the impact of the disease is critical for the US Beef herd which is why we’re excited to join the US CattleTrace programme and champion its efforts to improve global competitiveness and food safety across the value chain,” said Jarrod Gillig, business operations and supply chain lead for Cargill’s North American protein business. “At Cargill, we’ve long been focussed on enhancing the traceability and resilience of our supply chains and believe our partnership with US CattleTrace can help move the industry forward.”
