Bison that are still sporting dangle tags as of April 1 will need to be retagged with radio-frequency identification (RFID) tags before being moved.
“Traceability is always a concern for the livestock industry, so effective April 1, the RFID tag is the only legal tag for bison,” said Terry Kremeniuk, executive director of the Canadian Bison Association.
The move should come as no surprise to bison producers, he said.
“We made the decision about eight years ago to move away from dangle tags, and we believe that most dangle tags have gone through the system,” said Kremeniuk.
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The switch was made at the request of “those involved in the industry,” and just makes sense now that RFID tags have become the standard, he said.
“It creates a hassle if you don’t stick to the one (system).”
While bison being sold to another producer or moved off from their farm of origin will need an RFID tag, those headed for the slaughterhouse can keep their old tags.
“It’s my understanding that CCIA and the slaughter facility will work with you as long as you have a tag in hand,” said Kremeniuk.
