Since 7 August 2026, a law on mandatory identification and registration of animals has been in force in Uzbekistan — it covers both pets (cats, dogs) and farm animals (cattle, small ruminants, camels, horses, pigs). Obligations for owners — including a ban on keeping unregistered pets — take effect later, from 1 January 2028. Here is a look at the methods the law offers for identifying an animal and what that means in practice.
Three identification methods: tag, microchip, combined mark
The law names three identification methods: a visual tag, a microchip, or a combined mark with a unique code. All three solve the same task — giving the animal a unique, verifiable number — but they work differently.
- Visual tag — a plate or clip carrying a printed number that is read by eye; in world practice it is usually attached to a farm animal's ear;
- Microchip — a miniature capsule with an electronic identifier implanted under the animal's skin; the number is read with a dedicated scanner and, in world practice, is more often used for pets;
- Combined mark with a unique code — a device that combines an eye-readable number and an electronic code in one item, which lowers the risk of losing or swapping the identification.
The law does not favour any one of the three methods — the choice of a specific solution is up to the owner and depends on the species and the keeping conditions.
What data goes into the unified electronic system
Data on identified animals is entered into a unified electronic information system operated under the Veterinary Committee. The system records the owner's PINFL and TIN, address and contact phone number, the animal's vaccination records and information about its movements. A separate requirement applies to an animal leaving the register: within 7 days of its death, slaughter or export from the country, it must be deregistered from the system.
A uniquely coded mark for cattle and small ruminants: how it works
For cattle and small ruminants, one practical way to implement a "mark with a unique code" is an electronic ear tag: a passive chip stores the animal's unique number, and a reader picks it up contactlessly, without restraining the animal or adding stress. Radio-frequency identification of animals is described by a pair of international standards: ISO 11784 defines the structure of the identification code, while ISO 11785 defines the radio interface at the 134.2 kHz low frequency. The standard provides two data-transmission variants, FDX-B and HDX — these are simply different technical implementations of the same principle, not a marker of any particular manufacturer. The tags we are describing are certified by ICAR (International Committee for Animal Recording), the international organisation that tests animal identification devices for conformance with these standards.
The law does not prescribe a specific technology; an RFID tag is one practical way to implement a "mark with a unique code" for cattle and small ruminants. This is our engineering assessment, not a requirement of the law. For more on how such a tag works and its form factors, see RFID ear tags for livestock.
What this means for livestock farms
For a farm, an electronically coded mark is not only a way to satisfy one of the identification options — it is also a record-keeping tool: an accurate head count, veterinary records tied to a specific animal, and traceability at every stage. For more on what this kind of record-keeping gives a farm, see RFID for livestock farming. Pricing is calculated per project — leave a request and we will help you work out which identification option fits your farm.
If you need the tags themselves supplied for cattle and small ruminants: ear-tag supply for cattle and small ruminants in Tashkent — ERKSONS.