Livestock Ear Tag Requirements in Michigan: What Every Producer Needs to Know

Michigan has long held one of the strictest livestock identification programs in the country, and understanding what is required before you move an animal off your property can save you from costly fines, rejected shipments, or delays at auction. Starting March 1, 2007, all cattle must be identified with an official radio frequency identification (RFID) ear tag prior to movement from a Michigan premises — a standard that has only grown stricter since.

Whether you raise cattle, bison, sheep, goats, or swine, this guide walks you through every layer of Michigan’s ear tag rules: which animals are covered, how the federal RFID mandate changed things in November 2024, where to get compliant tags, how to apply them correctly, and what you need to document for interstate movement.

Pro Tip: Before you purchase any official ear tags in Michigan, you need a Premises Identification Number (PIN). When purchasing official animal ID, you must have the PIN for the premises where the animals are housed. To register your premises or request your existing PIN, call MDARD’s Atlanta Field Office at 888-565-8626.

Which Animals Require Official Ear Tags in Michigan

Michigan requires official identification for several livestock species before they can leave a farm. The rules differ by species, so it pays to know exactly what applies to your operation.

Cattle and Bison: Bison and cattle regardless of age, breed, or sex must be tagged with official Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) ear tags before they leave a Michigan premises unless they are moved directly to an approved tagging site. This is broader than the federal minimum — Michigan’s rule covers all cattle, not just the specific classes listed in federal regulations.

Sheep and Goats: In Michigan, all sheep and goats must be identified with official identification approved by the national scrapie program to move off a farm. Acceptable ID options for sheep and goats include USDA scrapie tags, legible flock ID tattoos (with restrictions), official neck straps for animals that cannot be ear-tagged, and in limited cases, microchips. Tattoos are not considered official ID for slaughter or exhibition animals.

Swine: Swine moving to exhibitions and fairs must carry official identification. USDA 840 tags for swine are approved — these tags have a unique 15-digit number beginning with 840, are tamper resistant, and bear the U.S. shield. Metal NUES tags are also on the approved list for swine identification.

Horses, cervids, and camelids have separate movement and identification requirements administered by MDARD. Check with the MDARD Animal ID & Movement page for the most current species-specific import and export rules before moving any of these animals.

Federal RFID Ear Tag Rule: What Changed in November 2024

The single biggest shift in livestock identification rules in recent memory took effect on November 5, 2024. On that date, new federal rules took effect requiring electronic identification (EID) ear tags for certain cattle and bison moving across state lines. The rule, published by USDA APHIS, replaces the old system of visual-only metal tags with radio frequency identification (RFID) tags that can be read electronically.

USDA APHIS amended the animal disease traceability regulations to require that eartags applied on or after a date 180 days after publication in the Federal Register of the final rule be both visually and electronically readable in order to be recognized for use as official eartags for interstate movement of cattle and bison covered under the regulations. That publication date was May 9, 2024, making November 5, 2024 the effective date.

The stated purpose goes beyond paperwork compliance. The EID eartag requirement is intended to facilitate animal disease traceability, thereby improving the ability to trace outbreaks of diseases of livestock in live animals and more efficiently control or eradicate these diseases. Michigan had already been operating under similar RFID requirements for years, so this federal rule largely aligned with what Michigan producers were already doing.

Important Note: Non-EID official eartags applied before November 5, 2024 remain valid. You do not need to retag animals that already carry a visual-only official tag applied before that date — those tags are grandfathered for the life of the animal.

The federal rule does not change which classes of cattle and bison require official ID to cross state lines. Covered classes include sexually intact cattle and bison 18 months of age and older, all dairy cattle (female dairy cattle of any age and male dairy cattle born after March 11, 2013), and cattle and bison of any age used for rodeo/recreation, shows, and exhibitions. Animals moving direct to slaughter (or through an approved market to slaughter) are exempt from official ID. Beef feeder cattle under 18 months of age are not required to have official ID unless otherwise required by a disease program or by a receiving state.

Official 840 RFID Ear Tag Requirements in Michigan

Michigan’s standard for official ear tags is the 840 Animal Identification Number (AIN) RFID tag. For cattle, official ID means an electronic radio frequency identification (EID/RFID) ear tag or other forms of official ID as approved by the state animal health authority. In practice, producers should use official 15-digit “840” EID ear tags for cattle and bison.

Every compliant 840 tag carries three required printed elements. Official tags display the 15-digit AIN (starts with 840), the official ear tag shield, and “Unlawful to Remove.” Tags applied to U.S.-origin animals on or after March 11, 2015 must carry the 840 prefix — tags with older numbering formats applied after that date are not considered official.

Two RFID technology formats are both acceptable. Both HDX (half-duplex) and FDX (full-duplex) low-frequency ear tags meet U.S. standards for official EID. Either is acceptable for official purposes. Choose based on your reader equipment and management software. One practical note: producers using RFID with dairy herd management software should make certain to order half duplex (HDX) low frequency (LF) RFID tags and not full duplex (FDX) LF RFID tags or ultra-high frequency (UHF) RFID tags.

Tags are approved by species, not universally. Before purchasing official 840 RFID tags, check with the seller to make sure the tags selected are approved for use in the intended animal species. Do not use cattle RFID tags on small ruminants — sheep and goats have their own approved RFID tag types under the National Scrapie Eradication Program.

Species-Specific Ear Tag Rules in Michigan

Michigan’s ear tag rules are not one-size-fits-all. Each species operates under a distinct identification framework, and mixing up the rules can result in non-compliant animals at the point of sale or movement.

Cattle and Bison follow the strictest rules. All bison and cattle, including animals moving to slaughter, must be tagged with official radio frequency identification (RFID) ear tags before they leave a Michigan premises unless they are moved to a Michigan approved tagging site. All bison and cattle moved directly to a Michigan livestock auction market must have official RFID ear tags to be consigned for sale. Animals in the bovine tuberculosis Modified Accredited Zone (MAZ) — which includes Alcona, Alpena, Montmorency, and Oscoda counties — and Presque Isle County face additional identification requirements. Cattle and bison in the MAZ and Presque Isle County, as well as all privately owned cervids, are also required to have a secondary ear tag with a visible and unique identification number.

Sheep must carry official scrapie program identification before leaving any Michigan farm. Approved ID options include a USDA scrapie tag, a legible tattoo combining the scrapie flock ID and unique animal number, or an official neck strap for animals that cannot be physically ear-tagged. Tattoos are not an accepted form of official ID for sheep at fairs and exhibitions in Michigan — for those purposes, a physical scrapie tag is required.

Goats follow the same scrapie identification framework as sheep. Goats must have official identification (ID). Official ID numbers must be recorded on the CVI. For goats, legible official registry tattoos recorded in a goat purebred registry association’s book — with documentation accompanying the animal — are also an accepted form of ID. Goats six months of age and older coming permanently into Michigan must have had a negative brucellosis test within 30 days.

Swine moving to fairs and exhibitions must carry official USDA identification. Tattoos are not accepted as an official form of identification for swine at fairs and exhibitions in Michigan. Approved options include 840 RFID tags and metal NUES tags. For producers moving swine across state lines within a production system, Michigan has commuter herd agreements in place with neighboring states including Indiana and Ohio.

Key Insight: Species matter when ordering tags. Cattle 840 RFID tags are not approved for sheep or goats. Always confirm the species approval on any tag before purchasing. For questions about disease reporting obligations that accompany animal movement, see our guide on livestock disease reporting in Michigan.

Where to Get Official Ear Tags in Michigan

You have several options for sourcing compliant official ear tags in Michigan, depending on your species and budget.

• USDA-approved commercial vendors: Three major manufacturers produce approved 840 tags: Allflex (Dallas, TX), Datamars (Temple, TX), and Y-Tex (Cody, WY). Tags are available through veterinary supply distributors, farm supply stores, and directly from manufacturers.
• Cost per tag: RFID 840 tags cost between $2 and $5 per tag, depending on the manufacturer, tag style, and order quantity.
• Free tags through state programs: Many state veterinarian offices distribute free 840 RFID tags to producers, but supply has been uneven. Contact MDARD to check current availability in Michigan.
• Scrapie tags for sheep and goats: The National Scrapie Eradication Program provides up to 100 plastic flock ID tags free-of-charge to first-time participants in the sheep and goat identification program until available funds are expended. Call 1-866-USDA-Tag (866-873-2824) to request tags or a flock/premises ID.

You must have your PIN in hand before placing any order for official 840 tags. To purchase official 840 tags, you must have the PIN for the location where the animals are housed. In Michigan, call MDARD Atlanta Field Office at 888-565-8626 (listed under Animal ID) to register your premises or retrieve an existing PIN. Also confirm before ordering that custom or matched tag orders carry longer production lead times — matched 840 tags or other custom orders will result in longer delays due to their production complexity.

How and When to Apply Ear Tags in Michigan

Correct tag application protects the animal and ensures the tag stays readable throughout its life. A tag that migrates, becomes infected, or falls out creates a compliance problem at the worst possible time — right before a sale or movement.

Timing: Apply the official tag well before movement (e.g., at processing, preconditioning, or prior to sale/shipment) to avoid delays. Waiting until the day of transport is a common mistake that can hold up an entire load.

Placement: Place the tag in the middle third of the ear, between the two cartilage ribs; avoid blood vessels. The left ear is recommended, but either ear is acceptable.

Hygiene and retention: Always clean the applicator and the ear surface before tagging. Ensure firm closure; check retention before animals leave the chute. Infections and tag loss most often result from poor technique — specifically, placing the tag outside the middle third of the ear or failing to disinfect before application.

Tagger compatibility: When applying tags to animals, be sure to use a tagger appropriate for the type of tag being used. Each manufacturer’s tag typically requires a matched applicator. Using the wrong tagger can result in incomplete closure, which leads to tag loss or infection.

Pro Tip: If an animal loses a tag after it was officially identified, you must replace it and document the replacement. If you apply a new EID tag to an already officially identified animal, you must record both tag numbers and the date the new tag was applied.

Ear Tag Requirements for Interstate Movement in Michigan

Moving livestock across state lines adds a layer of documentation on top of the tagging requirements. Michigan’s rules for outbound animals are among the most specific in the Midwest, and receiving states have their own requirements that may be stricter than Michigan’s minimums.

Outbound cattle and bison: All cattle leaving a Michigan premises must bear official identification before they move, unless the first point of destination is a state-approved tagging-agreement site (for example, a livestock market that will apply official tags on arrival). Animals that pass through a Michigan market must leave with official ID applied. Official ID numbers must be recorded on the interstate Certificate of Veterinary Inspection (CVI).

Slaughter exemptions: Bison and cattle moving directly to slaughter may enter Michigan with USDA-approved back tags in place of official ID when accompanied by an owner shipper statement (OSS) instead of an interstate CVI. However, bison and cattle (excluding lactating dairy cattle) going directly to slaughter, or through a federally approved livestock auction market and then to slaughter, may be accompanied by an owner shipper statement instead of an interstate CVI.

Lactating dairy cattle: These animals face an additional requirement on top of RFID tagging. All lactating dairy cattle imported into Michigan, unless imported directly to a slaughter plant, are also required to test negative for avian influenza virus via milk PCR at an approved National Animal Health Laboratory Network (NAHLN) laboratory using an NAHLN approved assay. The samples must be collected no more than seven days prior to movement.

Inbound animals with older tags: Bison and cattle tagged prior to November 5, 2024, with a visual-only official identification ear tag, such as a metal “brite” NUES tag or a visual 840 tag, are considered officially identified to move across state lines into Michigan.

For more on the physical transport side of moving livestock between states, see our guides on transporting livestock laws in Michigan and livestock trailer requirements in neighboring states including Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, and Ohio.

Recordkeeping Requirements for Ear-Tagged Animals in Michigan

Tagging an animal is only half the compliance equation. Michigan and federal rules both require you to maintain records that connect each tag number to a specific animal and movement event — records that must be available to state and federal officials on request.

What to record: At a minimum, your records should include the AIN (840 tag number) for each animal, the date the tag was applied, the PIN of the premises where the animal was tagged, and any subsequent movements. The USAHERDS system enables MDARD AID and USDA APHIS VS to capture and coordinate premises information, identification numbers, animal movement and sighting events, official test data, and more down to the level of the individual animal.

Replacement tag records: When a tag is lost and replaced, both tag numbers matter. You must document the original AIN, the replacement AIN, and the date of replacement. This chain of custody is what makes disease traceability work during an outbreak investigation.

Sheep and goat records: Producers must also keep herd records, showing what new animals were added and what animals left the herd/flock. Records of the tags, and other ID and sale records must be kept for 5 years.

Database privacy: If you are concerned about who can access your tag data, the answer is limited. Animal disease traceability information is housed in official federal and state databases. Those databases are NOT publicly available. They are only accessible to federal and state government officials who are responsible for dealing with high-impact animal diseases and who have passed extensive security screening and training to ensure data is handled correctly.

Species	Required Tag Type	Intrastate Movement	Interstate Movement	Record Retention
Cattle & Bison	Official 840 RFID (if tagged after Nov. 5, 2024)	Required before leaving premises	Required; CVI needed; RFID tag number on CVI	Life of animal
Sheep	USDA scrapie tag or approved tattoo (tag required for exhibitions)	Required before leaving farm	Required; interstate CVI required	5 years
Goats	USDA scrapie tag, approved tattoo, or registry tattoo with papers	Required before leaving farm	Required; interstate CVI required; brucellosis test for animals 6+ months	5 years
Swine (exhibitions)	840 RFID tag or metal NUES tag	Required for fairs/exhibitions	Interstate CVI required	Per MDARD guidance

Staying current with Michigan’s ear tag rules protects your operation from compliance penalties and keeps your animals moving smoothly through sales, shows, and interstate transport. For related compliance topics, review Michigan’s livestock disease reporting requirements and, if you raise dogs or cats alongside livestock, Michigan’s rabies vaccine requirements. For producers who also move livestock into neighboring states, our guides on Missouri, Kansas, Pennsylvania, and Ohio cover the trailer and transport rules you will need on the road.