DATE: 8/4/04                                                                                     
CONTACT: Dr. Larry Olson, (803) 284-3343, ext. 23                                 
WRITER: Tom Lollis, (803) 284-3343, ext. 241

Edisto REC program to update producers on animal ID effort

BLACKVILLE – South Carolina beef cattle producers can hear the latest on the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s efforts to develop a national animal identification program during a field day Aug. 7 at Clemson University ’s Edisto Research and Education Center .

“The idea is that, in case of a disease outbreak, within 48 hours you’ll be able to trace any animal in the production system to wherever it has been,” said Larry Olson, Clemson Extension animal scientist.

“Most cow-calf producers won’t have to worry about this on the farm,” he said. “The stockyards will put an electronic ID tag on each animal that can be read at each shipping point. Stockering operations will have to deal with it, however.”

Olson said that the animal ID program is not yet in effect, but the state of Kentucky is farther along than anyone, and a representative from the Kentucky Beef Network will speak during the Aug. 7 field day.

The field day begins with registration at 9 a.m. and the program starts at 9:45 . Speakers from Clemson University ’s Livestock/Poultry Health Programs and from Orangeburg Stockyards will also make presentations.

Representatives from three different companies will demonstrate identification systems.

The program concludes after at 12:30 p.m. lunch. Cost of registration is $10.

Contact Larry Olson at (803) 284-3343, ext. 231, or by e-mail at lolson@clemson.edu for more information.

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