What’s New in Goat ID?

 March 25, 2019 Federal Regulation Changes

The slaughter and low-risk commercial goat exemptions have been eliminated. 

This means official Individual ID (official eartag, registry or flock ID tattoo, or official Electronic Implantable 

ID) is required for goats in interstate commerce moving for purposes other than slaughter or feeding for 

slaughter. Official eartags, rather than other forms of official ID, are required for goats in slaughter channels 

that are 18 months of age or older. See exceptions below.1

There are additional requirements for use of tattoos and implants. View the presentation at www.EradicateScrapie.org for more information.

Group/Lot ID and Owner/Hauler 

Statement are required for: 

• Goats in slaughter channels (except

wethers under 18 months of age)

• Goats not in slaughter channels

that do not have an official eartag

or other official ID (except wethers

under 18 months of age)

Call 866-USDA-TAG to 

get official tags and

Tag it!

Created for the Goat Industry by staff at the University of Minnesota, College of Veterinary 

Medicine and NIAA Staff with support from the USDA NSEP.

Other changes include:

If you engage in interstate commerce: 

(WHICH MEANS if you move sheep or goats interstate or offer to sell 

them to out of state buyers including through a market, or buy sheep 

or goats that originated in another state); you need to:

• officially identify sheep and goats that you later sell (if they are a class that 

requires official ID) prior to moving them; or

• take your official tags and have them applied at another site in-state before

changing ownership; or

• take your sheep and goats to a federally approved market to be tagged with

market tags.

If you own a premises where interstate commerce of 

goats or sheep occurs: 

(DEFINED AS: a premises which receives sheep or goats 

that have been in interstate commerce or from which 

sheep or goats move in interstate commerce)

• Goats (of a class that requires official ID)

that are not already officially identified need

to be officially identified when they are unloaded.
1

Exceptions to individual official ID requirement: 

• Wethers under 18 months of age: NO ID or Owner/

Hauler Statement required.

• Goats in slaughter channels under 18 months of age 

accompanied by an Owner/Hauler Statement and 

Group/Lot ID (may be mixed source).

• Goats moving as a single source group/lot accompanied 

by an Owner/Hauler Statement to:

 >an approved livestock market.

 >slaughter establishment.

 >other premises of the flock listed in the National Scrapie 

 Database, or 

 >another site in-state where they will be officially identified 

 prior to change of ownership.

• Earless goats may have the eartag applied to a neck 

collar as long as the collar or eartag must be cut to 

be removed (be careful to allow for the growth of the 

animal). 

• Backtags may be used for direct slaughter movement

from a market: 

 >When applied near the poll on earless goats, or

 >When applied on the back or near the poll on horned 

 buck goats deemed too dangerous to eartag.

Q. Goats crossing a state line and 

not in slaughter channels?

A. Get an ICVI: Interstate Certificate 

of Veterinary Inspection issued by an 

Accredited Veterinarian. 

Exceptions: 

• wethers under 18 months of age;

• goats moving to another premises of the same 

flock listed in the National Scrapie Database;

• goats moving to a federally approved market 

Note: Some states also require an ICVI for instate shows 

and wethers for exhibition.

Moving goats in 

slaughter channels?

Complete an Owner/Hauler Statement to 

accompany the animals (except wethers 

under 18 months of age). Eartag goats 18 

months of age or older unless moving them 

as a single source group/lot. 

Tattoos and electronic implants may not

be used to officially ID goats that are in 

slaughter channels or that are moving 

through a livestock market or buying 

station.

Do not buy or sell a goat 18 months of age or older for any purpose unless they have official ID.

A record must be made when 

official ID is applied to a goat or 

a goat is acquired or disposed.

 The record must be kept for five years after 

 the animal dies or is no longer owned 

 by you.

National Scrapie Education Initiative

National Institute for Animal Agriculture

13570 Meadowgrass Drive, Suite 201 • Colorado Springs, CO 80921

Phone: 719-538-8843 • Fax: 719-538-8847 Email: scrapie@animalagriculture.org