RFID ear tags for livestock — electronic animal identification
RFID ear tags for livestock are electronic animal identification devices: an ear tag with a passive chip stores a unique number, a reader picks it up contactlessly, and the record lands in a record system — herd-management software, a veterinary database or a state registry. Once attached, the tag accompanies the animal for life and eliminates manual-count errors and number substitution.
How electronic animal identification works
- Tag: the passive RFID chip in the ear tag stores the animal's unique identification code and needs no battery — it draws energy from the reader's field;
- Reader: receives the number contactlessly, without restraining or stressing the animal;
- Records: the number lands automatically in the herd-management software, the veterinary log or the registry — the animal's history is always tied to its code.
The ISO 11784/11785 standards
International radio-frequency identification of animals is described by a pair of standards: ISO 11784 defines the structure of the identification code, while ISO 11785 defines the radio interface at the 134.2 kHz low frequency (LF). The standard provides two data-transmission variants — FDX-B and HDX; both are read by ISO 11785-compliant equipment.
Reading at 134.2 kHz in practice
The low frequency is no accident: an LF signal tolerates moisture and works reliably next to the animal's body — exactly where higher frequencies lose efficiency. Reading happens at short range, so the number is captured from the specific animal at the antenna, with no cross-reads of neighbouring tags in the herd. Such tags are read by dedicated ISO 11785 LF readers: fixed antennas at races, weighing stations and sorting gates, plus handheld scanners for spot checks.
Ear tag form factors
Electronic ear tags per ISO 11784/11785 come in the form factors farms already know: a round "button" and a "flag" tag with a duplicated visual number. In practice, an electronic tag is usually paired with a conventional visual one, so the animal's number can be read both by eye and by a reader. The tag is fitted once with an applicator and is designed to be worn for the animal's whole life.
What ICAR certification confirms
The tags are certified by ICAR (International Committee for Animal Recording) — the international organisation that tests and registers animal RFID identification devices against the ISO 11784/11785 standards. ICAR certification is the globally accepted confirmation that an identification device has passed conformance testing against these standards: the identification-code structure and the radio-interface parameters are verified.
Use cases: cattle, small ruminants, herd registration
- Herd registration: accurate cattle and small-ruminant headcounts without manual recounting;
- Veterinary records: vaccinations, treatments and examinations are tied to a specific animal's number;
- Herd management: weighing, feeding and selection by identifier;
- Traceability: the animal's origin is confirmed at every stage — from farm to processing.
Integration with record systems
The value of electronic identification unfolds in the data. The tag number becomes the key to which weighings, rations, veterinary treatments and farm-to-farm movements are tied. Captured numbers are exported to herd-management software and electronic logs, and when connected to state animal-identification registries they form end-to-end traceability — from the animal's birth to the finished product. Automatic capture of the number at the scales or a sorting gate removes manual entry and the errors that come with it.
Ordering and consultation
Ordering and supply of the tags to farms is handled by ERKSONS: ear-tag supply in Uzbekistan — ERKSONS. For technical questions about electronic animal identification, contact us — we will help you navigate the standards and select a solution for your farm's tasks.