NVAP Reference Guide: Cattle Identification

Last Modified: March 28, 2024

Preface

Introduction

Control and Eradication

Poultry

Aquatic Animal

Animal Health Emergency Management

Animal Movement

Animal Identification 

Appendix

Record all forms of identification if more than one form is present. (See figure 2 for an example of a calfhood vaccination identification, figure 3 for a depiction of cattle dentition to assess age, and table 3 for a list of bovine breeds and abbreviation codes.) In addition to listing the approximate age, gender, and breed of the animal, use one or more of the following identification methods:

  • Official eartag (1.59 MB).  
  • Individual animal’s registration tattoo accompanied by the official registration certificate issued by a recognized breed association.
  • Official registration brand accompanied by official brand inspection certificates issued by a recognized brand inspection agency.
  • Registration number of a breed association recognized by APHIS –VS in conjunction with an official eartag, tattoo, or brand.
  • USDA-approved backtag. Backtags are used mostly in stockyards or slaughterhouses. These cannot be used as the only identification for on farm testing. 

Figure 2— Example of a Brucellosis calfhood vaccination identification.

USDA-approved backtag.

Figure 3— Cattle dental formula. (Adapted from Bovine Practitioner, No. 9-74, and "Incisor Tooth Eruption, Development and Attrition," Texas A&M University)

Example of a Brucellosis calfhood vaccination identification.

Table 4: State, Tribe, and Territory Codes

Sorted by State NameSorted by Numeric Code
AlabamaAL

64

Maine

ME

11
AlaskaAK

96

New Hampshire

NH

12
American SamoaAS

99

Vermont

VT

13
ArizonaAZ

86

Massachusetts

MA

14
ArkansasAR

71

Rhode Island

RI

15
CaliforniaCA

93

Connecticut

CT

16
ColoradoCO

84

New York

NY

21
Commonwealth of the N. MarianasMP

98

New Jersey

NJ

22
ConnecticutCT

16

Pennsylvania

PA

23
DelawareDE

50

Ohio

OH

31
FloridaFL

58

Indiana

IN

32
GeorgiaGA

57

Illinois

IL

33
GuamGU

97

Michigan

MI

34
HawaiiHI

95

Wisconsin

WI

35
IdahoID

82

Minnesota

MN

41
IllinoisIL

33

Iowa

IA

42
IndianaIN

32

Missouri

MO

43
IowaIA

42

North Dakota

ND

45
KansasKS

48

South Dakota

SD

46
KentuckyKY

61

Nebraska

NE

47
LouisianaLA

72

Kansas

KS

48
MaineME

11

Delaware

DE

50
MarylandMD

51

Maryland

MD

51
MassachusettsMA

14

Virginia

VA

52
MichiganMI

34

West Virginia

WV

54
MinnesotaMN

41

North Carolina

NC

55
MississippiMS

65

South Carolina

SC

56
MissouriMO

43

Georgia

GA

57
MontanaMT

81

Florida

FL

58
Navajo NationNN77Virgin Islands (U.S.)

VI

59
NebraskaNE47Kentucky

KY

61
NevadaNV88Tennessee

TN

63
New HampshireNH12Alabama

AL

64
New Jersey

NJ

22MississippiMS65
New Mexico

NM

85ArkansasAR71
New York

NY

21LouisianaLA72
North Carolina

NC

55OklahomaOK73
North Dakota

ND

45TexasTX74
Ohio

OH

31Navajo NationNN77
Oklahoma

OK

73MontanaMT81
Oregon

OR

92IdahoID82
Pennsylvania

PA

23WyomingWY83
Puerto Rico

PR

94ColoradoCO84
Rhode Island

RI

15New MexicoNM85
South Carolina

SC

56ArizonaAZ86
South Dakota

SD

46UtahUT87
Tennessee

TN

63NevadaNV88
Texas

TX

74WashingtonWA91
Utah

UT

87OregonOR92
Vermont

VT

13CaliforniaCA93
Virgin Islands (U.S.)

VI

59Puerto RicoPR94
Virginia

VA

52HawaiiHI95
Washington

WA

91AlaskaAK96
West Virginia

WV

54GuamGU97
Wisconsin

WI

35

Commonwealth of the

N. Marianas

MP98
Wyoming

WY

83American SamoaAS99