Microchip implant (animal)

The animal identification is used to distinguish animals from others. There are fundamentally different goals of identification. A target located in the identification of the animal, ie, a differentiation of the individual animal by other ( individual identification ). Other objectives are to be distinguished from other animals by its owner or to recognize animals a breeder or a breed.

5.1 The chip
5.2 Country codes and manufacturer codes
5.3 application
5.4 reader
5.5 Unification of transponder systems through standardization

6.1 Registration and labeling
6.2 Small Animals

Marking methods

For identification, there are different methods. These differ in terms of practicality for various animals and regarding the reliability and durability of the marking. The question of the distance from which a detection must be possible and whether aids to be used, plays a role in their selection.

Animal identification, various methods have been established. These include:

Guides (birds )
Painting ( sheep)
Branding (horses, cattle )
Microchip transponder (all animals)
Ear tags ( cattle, sheep, goats)
Dog tags that are attached to the collar of the dog
Tattoo (formerly common method in dogs and cats currently in separation by implanted transponder).

Purpose of marking

A marking is used, for example,

The proof of ownership ( animal thefts ) and the descent
Ensuring the credibility breeding
Monitoring performance
The return entlaufender animals to owners
The unambiguous assignment of the animal to the vaccination certificate / EU pet passport
Disease control (→ animal disease, zoonoses )
Legal and regulatory compliance in cross-border traffic, as an animal identification is required there in part: EU pet Regulation ( → EU pet passport )
By the CITES

Identification by tattooing

This method was common before the introduction of ISO standards of transponder identification, however, brought some disadvantages:

The procedure is very painful for the animal. Therefore, an anesthetic for animal welfare reasons is necessary.
Due to the variety of numbering systems an assignment is not always possible in spite of found number. Some tattoos consist of a letter for the by leading veterinarian ( eg "G" for large ) plus a consecutive number, another system, for example, the letter " G " for a breeding association (eg company of the Bull Terrier Friends e V. ) followed by a number.
The numbers are not unique, since there are no binding rules on the award of the characters.
Tattoos are not tamper-proof.
Criminals could the animal cut off the tattooed ear.
The tattoo can fade quickly and is no longer readable.
Tattoos are hard to decipher in pigmented (dark colored ) skin sections.
Some small animals are not tätowierbar because of their size.

Identification by ear tags

Animals are usually marked with plastic ear tags. The EU has to create detailed specifications. For cattle, the EU Regulation 1760/2000 applies, for sheep and goats Regulation 21/2004, for pigs Directive 2008/71 and 92/ 102. For sheep and chips are prescribed recently included in special earmarks.

Earmarks in the Sami reindeer herders

Reindeer herders in " Lapland " ( correct: Sápmi ) characterize their reindeer traditionally with notches in the ears of the animals. Different combinations of small, large and round notches are cut on the ear top and bottom edges. Both ears have different scoring combinations. The notch pattern are officially registered. This form of identification only allows the assignment to the owner of the animal. The advantage, however clearly that besides a knife no further aid must be used. Recently, however, earmarks are increasingly being used, which are similar to those in the EU.

Labeling by implanted transponder

The chip

The RFID microchip, also called a transponder or tag is an electronic means for the automatic recognition of animals. The transponder can have different sizes; usual dimensions of which are at a length of 11.1 to 13.9 mm with a diameter from 2.05 to 2.2 mm. Especially small transponder ( 8.5 × 1.35 mm ), for example for Koi, are available. A tissue-compatible glass or plastic cover includes an antenna coil and the passive chip with the fixed set of 15 - digit identification number. Each identification number is unique in the world, if an animal has a chip, it is therefore clearly identifiable ( → Section countries codes and manufacturer codes).

The chip is passive, i.e., only when reading it is excited by the reading device to transmit its data.

The implantation is simple and fast, it is no anesthesia required. The chip is counterfeit- and tamper-proof. The chip remains functional throughout the life of the animal, as often to read and "wanders " usually not through the body of the animal.

Depending on the manufacturer, chips mostly with several self-adhesive barcode labels for matching identification documents ( vaccination, breeding papers ) delivered.

Country codes and manufacturer codes

The identification number always consists of a 15 - digit code.

Anticipation is to say that all animal transponder according to ISO standard 11784 - whether country or manufacturer code - valid animal identification products, and as such are equally suitable. The country code should be used only if a national awarding body is set up to manage all numbers with country codes, which ensures that the transponder numbers are not duplicated across species- with the country code. For Germany this is not the case, the political side refuses for all animals alike to take responsibility. In Germany, only the encoding of farm animals is clearly regulated and tested. The first three digits may contain a country code, then the numbers 001-899 in accordance with ISO standard ISO 3166 are used for the encoding of the country. In addition to the ISO country code of the manufacturer code does not always (depending on national legislation) in the identification number (position 5-7 ) is included. If an approval process with a "competent authority " has been passed through, the manufacturer or the sales organization, a national code will be assigned, which must be used in the transponder number at the corresponding position. the uniqueness of the ISO 11784 number can only be guaranteed with the use today, OTP ( One Time Programmable) silicon when programming the UID (Unique IDentifier = serial number) is read and stored along with the programmed ISO 11784 number in the internal database of the manufacturer will. To hedge the code of the transponder produced that is the task of every reputable manufacturer.

When chips without country coding the first three digits contain the manufacturer's coding, identified by numbers from 900 The manufacturers are equipped from 934 with its own manufacturer code, the transponder with the starting number 900 are so-called "shared code ", ie Several manufacturers have the same manufacturer code and are differentiated by the first 3 digits in the twelve -digit animal number. This so-called ICAR allocation code indicates who is hiding as the manufacturer behind the transponders. The country of origin of an animal with such a transponder can not be detected.

Examples of the first 3 digits of the number displayed when country codes according to ISO 11784 using find:

A list of country codes used under ISO -3166 -1 Kodierliste.

Examples:

The examples given are not relevant for all transponders, the process is far more complex and can not be explained in full detail here.

Application

There are several methods to apply a transponder. Either of the transponders is administered using a sterile disposable syringe, or it is used a special injection agent which can be used several times and the sterile canula is fixed to the transponder via a Luer Lock connection. This significantly minimizes the amount of waste. After which befindendem in developing new ISO standard ISO 15639-1 ( standardization of injection sites, Part 1 Home and Hobby Animals ) at a distance of 1-4 fingers ( depending on the breed and size of the animal) from the ear towards the shoulder blade on the left side of the neck of the animal injected subcutaneously. The injection direction should be carried out dorsoventral ( from back in towards the belly, so at a 90 ° angle to the jugular vein ). When the cannula is properly sanded and surface treated, the procedure is relatively painless. This injection can not be compared with a routine vaccination, because the needle has a significant larger diameter and therefore putting a transponder should be performed only by professionally trained fellows, veterinarians should be suited by their education.

Reader

The transponder is passive, the reader sends to a frequency of 134.2 KHz electromagnetic waves, there is established an induction field, in which the capacitor located in the transponder absorbs the energy and the information stored in the chip sends back to the reader. The coded chip in binary code is interpreted in the reader and the information ( 15 points, 3 12) displayed according to ISO standard in the display. A reader according to ISO standard always shows three digits for the manufacturer or country code, then a space ( not any special characters, points, or similar) and then the following 12 digits.

There are different types of readers. For home and hobby animals stationary readers are less important here is primarily concerned with handheld readers. Read Small handy and inexpensive readers a transponder the size of 12 x 2.12 mm with optimum orientation of the transponder to the antenna at a distance of 4-8 cm from. This may change significantly when the orientation of the transponder to the antenna is different or electromagnetic interference present ( too close to PC monitor or TV, etc.) The second type of hand-held reader is no longer small, handy and inexpensive, but reads the same sized transponder on a distance of about 20 cm and usually has additional useful features. The reader is activated and then the ear, starting slowly on the left side of the animal body moves (preferably circular movements around the injection site). When control reading is important to note that there are countries (UK, NZ, AUS ), in which the injection site is located in the neck between the shoulder blades.

Readers should be present in all animal shelters, veterinarians, police, regulatory agencies and most dog clubs.

Standardization of transponder systems through standardization

All different transponder systems that were incompatible with each other ( Indixel, Destron, Trovan, Avid ) were standardized by ISO standards 11784 and 11785. It was determined a uniform 15-digit number code structure for the chip. At the same uniform technical specifications were determined. In addition, there are a number of other for the production and approval of transponders required ISO standards that need to be taken into account.

Animal Registration

Registration and identification

Without a database that associates the animals marked with an owner and clarifies whether an animal is intended for human consumption, is the mark of little value. The European Commission has presented a proposal for the voluntary introduction of electronic identification for bovine animals on August 30, 2011. John Dalli, Commissioner for Health and Consumer Policy expects better and faster traceability of infected animals and / or infected food. The goal is a more rapid response to possible risks to the food chain. The scheme is voluntary, however, the proposal offers the Member States the option of introducing nationally binding rules.

Pets

Registration of identification data in a database is not provided for in the EU pet Regulation, also because they are concerned exclusively with the unambiguous assignment of the animal to the EU pet passport. Some German states write laws for dogs in the dog before a central collection, this applies for example to all born on 1 March 2009 in Saxony-Anhalt dogs or for dogs of certain breeds of dogs according to law for the state of North Rhine -Westphalia. In Lower Saxony, shall apply from 1 July 2013 also mandatory to enter the house dog in a central register. In Austria, there is a requirement for the identification and registration of dogs. This is regulated by 2 § 24a in the Animal Welfare Act Art.

The voluntary registration makes sense, since a mapping of the animal, eg if lost, can be made to the owner. There are several vendors of registry databases, the conditions are very different. Major differences lie in the funding model ( paid listings or donor-supported models ), in the openness of access and registration possibility and in the accessibility and interconnection of databases.

Important provider of databases in Germany are Tasso and German pet register ( DHR), whose databases are networked so that multiple notifications are no longer necessary. Major database vendors for Switzerland are anise and Animal Data for Austria and Petcard. A pan-European, cross-border search is possible on europetnet or petmaxx.

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