Official Eartag 

Shield

OFFICIAL EARTAGS

NATIONAL UNIFORM EARTAGGING SYSTEM (NUES)

JUNE 25, 2018

The National Uniform Eartagging System (NUES) is a numbering system for official eartags used for many 

years in specific animal disease programs. The NUES has been used primarily for metal brucellosis 

vaccination eartags, “brite” metal identification eartags, and Dairy Herd Information Association (DHIA)

eartags. Until recently, use of these eartags was restricted to animal health officials and DHIA. 

In 2011, USDA revised the policy for the administration of NUES eartags that gave State and Tribes the 

option to have NUES eartags distributed to producers so they could apply the NUES eartags themselves. 

This option is entirely at the discretion of the State or Tribe animal health official. This option supports 

the Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) framework by providing flexibility to the States and Tribes to work 

with producers at the local level to implement activities for traceability that work best for them. 

Producers interested in obtaining NUES eartags must contact their State or Tribe animal 

health official. 

Specific guidance for State and Federal animal health officials for the administration and use of NUES 

eartags is provided in VS Memorandum 578.12

NUES eartags are designed for one-time use (tamper evident) and are imprinted with

the NUES number and the Official Eartag Shield. The NUES number is formatted with 9 

characters for large livestock and 8 characters for species with smaller ears requiring 

smaller eartags. Further explanation of NUES formats are provided in the following 

examples:

9 Character Format:

23 ELV 4574 or PA ELV 4574

− 2 character State or Tribe code

− 3 alpha characters

− 4 numeric characters

8 Character Format:

23 DX 4574 or PA DX 4574

− 2 character State or Tribe code

− 2 alpha characters

− 4 numeric characters

Details on the formats of the NUES number, State and Tribe codes and other related information is 

provided in the ADT General Standards document that can be found at: 

http://www.aphis.usda.gov/traceability/. 

Obtaining and Using NUES Eartags

State and Tribes administer the distribution of NUES eartags. They may elect to restrict their use to

Accredited Veterinarians or make them available direct to producers as well as through the veterinarians. 

Producers must contact their State or Tribe animal health official to find out if NUES eartags are available 

in their area.

USDA provides NUES tags to States and Tribes, to the degree funds are available, at no cost from their 

warehouse inventory that are obtained through contractual agreement with an approved NUES tag 

manufacturer. Most States have obtained NUES tags from this inventory for years and those processes 

have not changed. USDA inventories the 9 character “silver” NUES tags for those States and Tribes with 
 

Tag photos are not in proportion to actual size - see chart above for tag dimensions. Page 2 

their numeric code. Several States obtain 8 character NUES tags with their numeric code through the 

same inventory process. 

States and Tribes that prefer a different NUES tag (other manufacturer, color, postal abbreviation format, 

etc.) may purchase NUES tag direct from an approved NUES tag manufacturer. The administration of the 

NUES tags obtained direct from NUES tag manufacturers, including processes to ensure their uniqueness 

of the NUES number, is the responsibility of the State or Tribe. 

The following list includes NUES eartags that have been approved by USDA. Approved manufacturers are 

authorized to imprint the Official Eartag Shield on eartags approved by USDA. Manufacturers are 

prohibited from producing NUES eartags without the authorization of State, Federal and Tribe Animal 

Health Officials.

Tag Manufacturer NUES Product Code

Tag Name 

Tag Type 

Species

Tag Size

Hasco Tag Co. NUES 0002

49 BRT

Metal clip tag

Bison, Cattle,

Deer/Elk, Pigs

Height= 1/2 in

Width= 3/8 in

National Band and Tag NUES 0003

49 Cattle Tag 042 ST

Metal clip tag

Bison, Cattle, 

Deer/Elk, Pigs

Height = 1-7/16 in

Width = 3/8 in

Allflex USA, Inc. NUES 0004

Couple 74 Tag

Plastic tag

Bison, Cattle, 

Deer/Elk, 

Sheep/Goat, Pigs

Height= 35 mm

Width= 38 mm

Ketchum Manufacturing 

Company, INC.

NUES 0005

306A-Tamperproof 

Ear Tags

Metal clip tag

Bison, Cattle, 

Deer/Elk, Pigs

Height= .460 in

Width= .316 in
 

Tag photos are not in proportion to actual size - see chart above for tag dimensions. Page 3 

Tag Manufacturer NUES Product Code

Tag Name 

Tag Type 

Species

Tag Size

Hasco Tag Co. NUES 0006

505 Tag

505-XE Colored Metal

Metal Clip Tag

Deer/Elk, Pigs

Height= 1⁄4 in

Width= 1 1/8 in

Allflex USA, Inc. NUES 0007

Allflex Ultra Large

Plastic Tag

Bison, Cattle,

Deer/Elk

Height= 80mm

Width= 58mm

Allflex USA, Inc. NUES 0008

Allflex Ultra Maxi

Plastic Tag

Bison, Cattle, 

Deer/Elk

Height= 98mm

Width= 74mm