Posted May 4, 2012
Metal swine identification tags, long a bane of the industry, may soon be a thing of the past.
Iowa State University Extension and Outreach swine veterinarian James McKean said the Iowa Department of Agriculture and Land Stewardship has developed a new plastic version as a replacement for metal tags. This will be good news for many producers.
“The tags are available from Iowa practicing veterinarians and are considered official ID for both intrastate and interstate transport of swine,” McKean said. “The plastic tags should be easier to apply and retain for show pigs, feeder pigs and others that may be moved.”
The new tags, manufactured by All-Flex, are triangular in shape, approximately an inch and a half from top to bottom and from side to side at the widest point.