Transporting livestock and traceability

If you raise pigs, including wild boars, and expect to move them around, you must:

• participate in the Government of Canada's PigTRACE program; and
• get a Premises Identification Number.

Farm-to-farm movement within Canada

Pigs moved from farm to farm need to be reported to PigTRACE. You must include movement information such as a manifest with the pigs.

You must report movement information to PigTRACE within 7 days of departure and arrival when transporting:

• live pigs;
• deadstock; or
• parts of deadstock.

The following movement information must be reported by both the sender and the receiver:

• departure and destination site Premises Identification Number;
• date and time of departure and arrival;
• number of pigs sent and received;
• licence plate number or conveyance identification; and
• approved pig identifiers for farm-to-farm sows and boars.

You don't need to report when you move pigs from one place to another on the same property.

Identification

Ear tag all sows and boars when transporting them. This includes transport to slaughter facilities. Breeding sows or boars do not need to be tags if they do not leave their farm of origin.

Culled breeding swine

For sows or boars going to slaughter for culling, you must apply 1 of the following before leaving the farm:

• a herd mark shoulder slap tattoo; or
• an approved ear tag.

To raise cattle, including bison, you must:

• participate in the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency program; and
• get a Premises Identification Number.

Beef

You must identify all cattle with an approved indicator tag before moving them from their place of origin. If you receive an animal that is not identified with an approved tag, you must apply an approved tag to it.

All cattle arriving at an abattoir must have an approved indicator tag. Any animal arriving at an abattoir without a tag will be refused. The Canadian Livestock Tracking System database tracks the slaughter of cattle. The abattoir operator reports all slaughters within 30 days.

Movement reporting

You must report movement of cattle to the Canadian Livestock Tracking System database.

Purchase indicator tags

You can get approved Canadian Cattle Identification Agency animal indicators for beef cattle through:

• authorized retailers across Canada;
• the agency's toll-free order desk at 1-877-909-2333; or
• online.

The national distribution network reports the issuance of tags to the tracking database.

Visit the Canadian Bison Association for additional information about bison movement.

To raise sheep, you must:

• participate in the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency program;
• follow the government's control order 2018-001 (effective January 1, 2020); and
• get a Premises Identification Number.

All sheep need to be identified with an approved tag before leaving the farm of origin. You cannot transport sheep that do not have an approved animal indicator tag. If you receive an animal that is not identified with an approved tag, you must put an approved tag on it.

All sheep arriving at an abattoir must have an approved indicator tag. Any animal arriving at an abattoir without a tag may be refused.

Purchase indicator tags

Visit the Canadian Sheep Federation to find authorized distributors across Canada.

You can voluntarily participate in the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency program. This program is expected to become mandatory at the end of 2019.

On January 1, 2020, you must:

• follow the government's control order 2018-001; and
• get a Premises Identification Number.

At present, there are no federal traceability regulations specific to goats. When the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency program comes into effect, you will be required to identify goats before leaving the farm of origin. This is similar to the current requirements for sheep.

Goat producers should prepare by:

• ensuring they have a valid Premises Identification Number for their farm; and
• setting up a Canadian Livestock Tracking System database account.