Free while supplies last! Order your low frequency RFID tags from the New Mexico Livestock Board
The USDA and state governments have agreed to work together to share some of the cost of RFID ear tags to lessen the burden on farmers/producers. Currently, New Mexico has been allotted 200,000 low frequency RFID to be distributed to producers at no cost. This is beneficial to producers because:
- In 2023, according to the USDA, any animals that are required to have official metal tags under current regulations will need individual RFID ear tags as official identification.
- Animals covered under this mandate include:
- Beef cattle & bison that are either sexually intact and 18 months or older, or are used for rodeo, exhibition or recreational events at any age.
- Dairy cattle that are females of all ages and males born after 3/11/2013.
- Feeder cattle and animals moving directly to slaughter are not subject to RFID.
- RFID (EID) tags can be used for animal authentication purposes, locating individual animals, data and record keeping (animal weights, individual animal performance). They are smaller and less likely to get caught on a fence or get lost.
- RFID ear tags can be attached at time of birth or before interstate travel and provide a reliable method of cattle identification, animal health, and breeding.
- It’s easier to read animal tags. You can use a RFID wand reader or a smart phone to scan the animal tag and identify cattle as they move through the chute.
- EID tags capture information on individual animals. They improve cattle record keeping on culls, animal health, mating, and pregnancy decisions, and drug withdrawal times.
- EID tags gain access to certification programs. Each year, there are more industry programs that require EID animal records for traceability and export requirements. You can capture more value-add per cow for management you're already doing.
- All RFID ear tags must be approved by the USDA and meet standards for quality and performance, be tamper proof, contain a unique ID, and display the U.S. official ear tag shield.
- Premise ID will be required to purchase RFID tags. If you don't know yours or don't have one, we can assist you with that just let us know when you call that you don't know/don't have a premise ID.
LAS CRUCES, N.M. – The United States Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) has confirmed the presence of highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) in a non-commercial backyard flock (non-poultry) in Bernalillo County, New Mexico.
Samples from the flock were tested at the APHIS National Veterinary Services Laboratories in Ames, Iowa.
APHIS is working closely with state animal health officials in New Mexico on a joint incident response. State officials quarantined the affected premises, and birds on the property will be depopulated to prevent the spread of the disease. Birds from the flock will not enter the food system.
A “non-poultry” backyard flock refers to birds that do not meet the World Organization for Animal Health definition of poultry. Birds that are kept in a single household, the products of which are used within the same household exclusively, are not considered poultry, provided that they have no direct or indirect contact with poultry or poultry facilities.
According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the public health risk associated with these avian influenza detections in birds remains low. As a reminder, the proper handling and cooking of all poultry and eggs to an internal temperature of 165 °F is recommended as a general food safety precaution.
As part of existing avian influenza response plans, federal and state partners are working jointly on additional surveillance and testing in areas around the affected flocks. The United States has the strongest avian influenza surveillance program in the world, and USDA is working with its partners to actively look for the disease in commercial poultry operations, live bird markets and in migratory wild bird populations.
Anyone involved with poultry production – from the small backyard to the large commercial producer – should review their biosecurity activities to assure the health of their birds. APHIS has materials about biosecurity, including videos, checklists and a toolkit available on its Defend the Flock Resource Center website.
All cases in commercial and backyard flocks will be listed on the APHIS website.
In addition to practicing good biosecurity, all bird owners should prevent contact between their birds and wild birds. New Mexico bird owners should immediately report sick birds or unusual bird deaths to the New Mexico State Veterinarian at 505-841-6161 or 505-414-2811, or call the USDA at 866-536-7593. The local USDA office may be reached at 505-313-8050.
The New Mexico Livestock Board website offers information about import permits for shipments coming to New Mexico originating in the HPAI-impacted states.
APHIS urges producers to consider bringing birds indoors when possible to further prevent exposures. Additional information on biosecurity for backyard flocks can be found on the APHIS Avian Health website.
For updates on New Mexico's status: https://nmdeptag.nmsu.edu/highly-pathogenic-avian-influenza.html
For the most recent list of 2022 confirmations of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza in commercial and backyard flocks, please visit the United States Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service website.
All other states have cleared control and surveillance.
Effective immediately: Import permits will be required for shipments coming to New Mexico originating in the above-mentioned states. To get a permit number, call our permit line at:
1-800-432-6889. Please put the permit number you receive in the remarks of your 9-3 form.
You will be asked basic information about your shipment like your NPIP number, origin address, and destination address here in NM.
If shipping poultry or eggs from New Mexico please contact the state of destination for requirements.