Swine Ear Notching Laws in Georgia: What Every Pig Owner Needs to Know

Ear notching has been a cornerstone of swine identification for generations, but knowing when it satisfies Georgia’s legal requirements — and when it falls short — can save you from compliance headaches at the auction market, the state line, or the show ring.

Whether you raise a small backyard herd, run a commercial operation, or show purebred hogs through 4-H and FFA programs, Georgia’s rules on swine identification directly affect how you manage, move, and register your animals. This guide walks you through every layer of those rules so you can make informed decisions from farrowing day forward.

What Is Swine Ear Notching and When It Is Used in Georgia

Ear notching is a permanent identification method in which small V-shaped cuts are made in specific locations on a pig’s ears. It is widely used in the swine industry as a system of animal identification, with all variations identifying a pig by litter number and individual pig number. No electronic reader is required to decode the information — the notches are read visually, making the method practical in field conditions across Georgia’s farms and fairgrounds.

In Georgia, ear notching is performed as a routine livestock management practice. Under Georgia’s Veterinary Practice Act (Ga. Code Ann. § 43-50-1 to 122), ear notching is explicitly listed among the accepted livestock and food animal management practices that any person — compensated or otherwise — may perform without a veterinary license. That means a farmer, a 4-H youth member, or a hired hand can legally notch pigs without involving a veterinarian, provided the procedure follows accepted husbandry standards.

If pigs are notched at one to three days of age, the task is much easier. If you allow pigs to become large — around 100 pounds — the task becomes considerably more demanding mentally and physically. Most Georgia producers notch at farrowing time, combining it with tail docking and needle-teeth removal to minimize stress on both the piglets and the handler.

Pro Tip: Disinfect your V-notcher between litters and dip it in fresh surgical spirit or alcohol each day you work. Keeping equipment clean prevents cross-contamination and supports healthy healing in newborn piglets.

When Ear Notching Qualifies as Official Identification in Georgia

Not every set of notches on a pig’s ear constitutes “official identification” under state and federal rules. The distinction matters enormously when you move animals across county lines, sell through a Georgia livestock auction market, or transport hogs out of state.

Ear notching qualifies as official identification only when it has been recorded in the book of record of a purebred registry association. If your notches are not registered with a recognized breed registry, they carry no official weight under the USDA’s Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) framework — regardless of how accurately the notching was performed.

Ear notches and tattoos that are not registered with a breed registry are not considered official identification for the purpose of interstate movement. For Georgia producers moving hogs to neighboring states like Florida, Alabama, Tennessee, or South Carolina, this is a critical distinction. An unregistered notch pattern alone will not satisfy the documentation requirements at a state-line inspection.

The current Animal Disease Traceability program began in 2013 through USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service. It establishes minimum identification and documentation requirements to trace livestock moving across state lines, covering swine among other species. Georgia adopted the ADT standard set by the USDA, though other states may have more stringent rules, according to the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Animal Disease Traceability coordinator.

Georgia’s auction market rules, found under Georgia Administrative Code Subject 40-13-6, include specific rules governing swine movements through livestock auction markets that align with these federal traceability standards. If you plan to sell through a Georgia livestock market, confirm identification requirements with the market operator before you haul.

How the 1-3-9 Ear Notching System Works

The simplest method recommended by most breed associations is ear notching, and the most common notching system is the 1-3-9 system. Once you understand the logic, reading a pig’s identity becomes straightforward arithmetic.

The system divides identification into two parts — one ear for the litter, one ear for the individual pig within that litter. The litter number is notched in the pig’s right ear, and the individual pig number is notched in the pig’s left ear. Every pig in the same litter shares identical right-ear notches, while the left-ear notches differ for each animal.

The litter mark ear is divided into five sections, each with a numerical value of 1, 3, 9, 27, or 81. Each section, except for 81, can have one or two notches only. You add the values of all notches in the right ear to get the litter number. The left ear identifies the individual pig’s number in the litter, with each pig having different notches. The left ear is divided into three sections with values of 1, 3, and 9.

Ear	Purpose	Zone Values Available	Max Notches per Zone
Right ear	Litter number	1, 3, 9, 27, 81	2 (except 81 — one only)
Left ear	Individual pig number	1, 3, 9	2 per zone

A practical example: if a pig has notches at the 9 and 3 locations on the right ear, the litter number is 12. If the left ear has a single notch in the bottom inside (3) location, that pig is individual number 3 from litter 12. You would record this animal as pig 12-3.

In zones 1, 3, 9, and 27, there can only be two notches; two notches in all four zones would represent Litter 80. A notch in zone 81 essentially doubles the system, allowing litter numbers well beyond 160. The maximum individual number within a litter is 26, which accommodates even large commercial litters without duplication.

Orientation matters when you read the notches. The reference to left and right ear refers to the pig’s own left or right ear as viewed from the rear of the pig — not the viewer’s left or right when the pig is facing forward. A reliable way to avoid confusion is to always look the pig in the face; read left-to-right and it will always be litter number then pig number.

Pro Tip: Use a small (3/16- to 1/4-inch-deep) V-notcher for piglets under 25 pounds. For larger pigs, switch to a notcher that cuts 1/2 inch deep, and leave at least 1/4 inch between notches so they remain legible as the animal grows.

Ear Notching for Purebred Registry Compliance in Georgia

If you raise registered purebred hogs — Berkshire, Duroc, Hampshire, Yorkshire, Landrace, Chester White, or Spotted — ear notching is not just a farm practice. It is a condition of breed registry compliance, and getting it wrong can delay or invalidate registration paperwork.

When using the system required by the purebred swine associations of the United States, the litter number is notched in the pig’s right ear and the individual pig number in the pig’s left ear. The notches from both ears combine to give each pig a unique identification number. Breed associations verify these notches against registration applications, so accuracy at farrowing time directly affects your paperwork downstream.

Ear notches using the Universal Ear Notching System must be recorded with a breed registry association, and breed registration papers must accompany the animals whenever they move in official channels. For Georgia producers showing purebreds at state fairs, county shows, or breed association sales, having those papers in hand is non-negotiable.

The Certified Pedigreed Swine (CPS) organization, which serves multiple heritage breeds, uses a version of the system where each ear is divided into four parts representing the numbers 1, 3, 9, and 27, with up to two notches per area. The right ear is used for the litter mark, and all pigs in the same litter must have the same notches in the right ear. The left ear identifies the individual pig.

Georgia 4-H and FFA members showing swine at county and state competitions must also comply with notching and registration requirements set by the sponsoring organization. Youth involved in showing pigs learn responsibility and animal husbandry through identification and recordkeeping. According to many university extension swine specialists, mastering the ear-notching system is foundational for anyone working with pigs, especially those participating in livestock shows, breeding programs, or commercial operations.

If you are new to purebred swine in Georgia, contact your local University of Georgia Cooperative Extension office. County agents can walk you through the specific notching diagram required by your breed association and help you avoid registration errors before they happen. You may also find it helpful to review goat ownership laws in Georgia if you manage multiple livestock species, since some identification principles overlap.

Ear Notching vs. Ear Tags, Tattoos, and RFID in Georgia

Ear notching is one of several identification methods available to Georgia swine producers, and each option fits different situations. Understanding where each method is accepted — and where it falls short — helps you choose the right tool for the right context.

Traceability under the ADT program is achieved by applying a form of official ID to an animal. For most livestock species, the official ID is an ear tag, which can be visual or electronic. Visual tags are metal or plastic with a unique ID number. Electronic tags can be scanned using a reader, allowing for efficient data management.

For slaughter swine and feeder swine, an ear tag or tattoo bearing the Premises Identification Number assigned by the State Animal Health Official to the premises on which the swine originated is the required form of official identification. An ear notch alone — even a correctly executed one — does not satisfy this requirement for animals moving in slaughter or feeder channels unless it is backed by purebred registry documentation.

APHIS is offering no-cost radio frequency identification (RFID) ear tags to eligible swine producers, and this program is designed to enhance the speed and accuracy of disease response efforts across the swine industry. APHIS awarded a contract to Merck Animal Health to supply up to $20 million in RFID tags over five years, intended for use in the sow and exhibition swine sectors. Georgia producers with a valid Premises Identification Number can take advantage of this program.

Identification Method	Official for Interstate Movement?	Official for Slaughter/Feeder Swine?	Requires Registry Recording?
Ear notching (registered)	Yes — with breed registry papers	No	Yes
Ear notching (unregistered)	No	No	N/A
PIN ear tag	Yes	Yes	No (Premises ID required)
840 RFID ear tag	Yes	Yes	No (Premises ID required)
Tattoo (registered)	Yes — with registry papers	No	Yes

Electronic Identification tags, also known as Radio Frequency Identification ear tags (RFID ear tags), can be utilized to store and track information through a database using a readable scanner. For large commercial Georgia operations, RFID offers significant advantages in speed and data accuracy over manual notch-reading, particularly at auction markets and processing facilities.

NUES (National Uniform Eartagging System) tags have historically been used for disease testing and interstate movement. States and Tribes administer their distribution and may restrict their use to accredited veterinarians or make them available directly to producers. Contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health division to find out how NUES tags are distributed in the state.

Important Note: No single identification method works for every situation. Registered ear notches satisfy breed registry and show requirements but not slaughter-channel traceability. PIN and 840 RFID tags satisfy interstate movement and auction market rules but are not a substitute for breed registration papers. Many Georgia producers use both systems simultaneously.

State-Specific Swine Identification Rules That Affect Ear Notching in Georgia

Georgia’s swine identification framework layers state-level rules on top of the federal ADT baseline. Knowing both sets of rules keeps you compliant whether your hogs stay in-state or cross a border.

The ADT system works with a Premises Identification Number (PIN) that identifies a physical location where activity affecting the health or traceability of animals may occur. PINs are required for feral hog licenses, livestock shows, and livestock sales. Farms and ranches can also register for a free PIN through the Georgia Department of Agriculture Animal Health website. Getting your PIN is a straightforward first step that unlocks access to official ear tags and simplifies every future compliance requirement.

Livestock crossing state lines requires a movement document such as a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI), often referred to as a health certificate. The official ID is recorded on the CVI or other movement document. If you are moving registered purebreds and relying on ear notches as official ID, the breed registration certificate must accompany the CVI — the notches alone on the pig are not self-documenting at a border inspection.

Georgia also has a specific prohibition relevant to identification integrity: no person shall commingle feral hogs with domestic swine or hold feral hogs on any premises where domestic swine are located (Ga. Code Ann. § 2-7-202). This rule protects the disease status of your registered herd and keeps your identification records clean — a feral hog mixed into a domestic pen creates traceability gaps that can complicate regulatory compliance.

The tags used for ADT carry the animal’s unique identification number, which is recorded in a database. Together, the PINs, animal IDs, and movement documents like CVIs are used by Animal Health officials to quickly identify the location and movements of diseased animals to reduce the threat of a disease outbreak. This traceability infrastructure is why Georgia and USDA take identification requirements seriously — a disease event traced quickly can protect your entire herd and your neighbors’ herds.

For Georgia producers who also keep other livestock or pets, understanding identification and ownership laws across species is equally important. You may want to review beekeeping laws in Georgia, backyard chicken laws in Georgia, and animal cruelty laws in Georgia to ensure your entire operation stays on the right side of state regulations. If you sell or move animals through Georgia’s auction system, the Georgia Administrative Code Rule 40-13-6 governing auction markets is worth reading in full, as it sets identification requirements for every species that moves through those facilities.

For the most current swine movement requirements — including any updates to the ADT framework or Georgia-specific rules — contact the Georgia Department of Agriculture’s Animal Health section directly. Rules governing identification, premises registration, and interstate movement can change, and the GDA is the authoritative source for what applies to your operation today. You can also reference the USDA APHIS NVAP Reference Guide for Swine Identification for the federal framework that underpins Georgia’s rules.

Putting It All Together

Swine ear notching in Georgia sits at the intersection of traditional livestock husbandry and modern disease traceability law. The practice itself is legal for any person to perform under Georgia’s Veterinary Practice Act, but its value as official identification depends entirely on whether those notches are recorded with a recognized purebred registry.

For day-to-day herd management, the 1-3-9 system gives you a permanent, low-cost way to track individual animals from birth. For official purposes — interstate movement, auction markets, slaughter channels — you will need a Premises Identification Number and the appropriate ear tags or registry documentation to back up those notches. Combining both approaches gives you the flexibility to meet any compliance scenario Georgia or a neighboring state puts in front of you.

Stay current with the Georgia Department of Agriculture for rule updates, register your premises if you have not already done so, and connect with your local UGA Extension agent for hands-on guidance. You may also find it useful to explore pet import laws in Georgia and hunting laws in Georgia if your property intersects with wildlife or you bring animals in from out of state.