Swine Ear Notching Laws in West Virginia: What Pig Owners and Producers Need to Know

Ear notching has been a staple of swine identification for generations, and it remains a legally recognized method under both federal and West Virginia regulations — but only under specific conditions. If you raise purebred hogs, show pigs at state fairs, or move swine across state lines, understanding exactly when a notch pattern qualifies as official identification can save you from compliance headaches at the worst possible moment.

West Virginia does not operate in isolation on this issue. The West Virginia Department of Agriculture (WVDA) is the primary state agency overseeing livestock ownership, and it administers health, identification, and disease control programs that apply directly to owners. Those programs tie directly into federal rules that govern how swine must be identified before they leave your property or cross a state line.

This guide breaks down every layer of the ear notching framework that applies to swine in West Virginia — from the mechanics of the 1-3-9 system to how notches stack up against ear tags and RFID in today’s regulatory environment.

Pro Tip: Regulations around swine identification can change with little notice. Contact the WVDA Animal Health Division at 304-558-2214 before transporting any pig to confirm current requirements are still in effect.

What Is Swine Ear Notching and When It Is Used in West Virginia

Ear notching is a permanent physical identification method in which small V-shaped cuts are made in specific positions on a pig’s ears. Each position corresponds to a numerical value, and the combination of notches on both ears encodes a unique litter number and individual pig number. Unlike a tag that can fall out or a tattoo that can fade, a properly applied notch stays with the animal for life.

In West Virginia, ear notching is most commonly used by purebred swine producers, 4-H and FFA exhibitors, and small-scale breeders who want a low-cost, permanent identification method that integrates with breed registry recordkeeping. West Virginia state rules define “livestock” as cattle, horses, swine, sheep, goats, cervids, and domestic poultry — meaning all pigs, regardless of size or purpose, fall under the same identification framework.

You will encounter ear notching most often in three situations in West Virginia: identifying piglets at birth on a purebred operation, preparing exhibition animals for state fairs and livestock shows, and documenting individual pigs for breed registry enrollment. Outside of those contexts, most commercial producers in the state have shifted to ear tags and RFID, which are faster to apply and easier to scan at markets.

For more on how West Virginia classifies swine and what ownership rules apply at the local level, the backyard pig laws in West Virginia guide covers the full state and local framework in detail.

When Ear Notching Qualifies as Official Identification in West Virginia

This is the most important distinction you need to understand: an ear notch is not automatically official identification. The notch pattern on a pig’s ear only qualifies as official ID when it meets a specific federal requirement that West Virginia has incorporated into its own livestock sales rules.

Under 9 CFR § 71.19, ear notching qualifies as official identification when used on any swine if the ear notching has been recorded in the book of record of a purebred registry association. That single condition — registry recording — is what separates a notch that satisfies the law from one that is simply a farm management tool.

West Virginia Code of State Rules W. Va. Code R. § 61-1-9.7 states that any swine involved in intrastate transfer of ownership shall have identification consistent with 9 CFR 71.19. That means the same registry-recording requirement applies whether your pig is crossing a state line or simply changing hands at a West Virginia livestock market.

Permanent identification is required for all swine imported into West Virginia, according to the WVDA’s 2026 import requirements. All out-of-state swine must be accompanied by an official CVI good for 30 days and official ID, and all swine must be accompanied by a Certificate of Veterinary Inspection for entry into West Virginia. An ear notch that has not been registered with a recognized breed association does not satisfy either the import or the intrastate transfer requirement.

Important Note: A notch pattern you apply on your own farm for internal recordkeeping is not the same as official identification. Only notches recorded with an approved purebred registry association carry legal weight under West Virginia and federal rules.

If you are bringing pigs into West Virginia from another state for a fair or purebred sale, the WVDA’s Fair, Festival and Purebred Sale Regulations reinforce this point: all out-of-state swine must be accompanied by an official CVI good for 30 days and official ID. Your registered ear notch, with documentation in hand, satisfies the official ID requirement for breeding, exhibition, and feeder swine.

How the 1-3-9 Ear Notching System Works

The system used across the United States — and recognized by every major swine registry — is the Universal Ear Notching System, sometimes called the 1-3-9 system based on the numerical values assigned to each notch position. Once you understand the logic, you can read any pig’s litter and individual number at a glance.

The universal ear notching system is based on the fact that a pig has two ears. The pig’s right ear, as viewed from the rear of the pig, is designated as the “litter” ear. The pig’s left ear designates the pig number within the litter, so the first piglet would be pig number one, the second piglet is pig number two, and so on.

Each ear is divided into four quadrants, and each quadrant represents a number. The outside bottom quadrant represents the number 1 — if there are two notches in that quadrant, the number is 1+1 or 2, and there will never be more than two notches in any quadrant. The outside top quadrant represents the number 3, and the inside top quadrant represents the number 9.

In the litter ear only, the inside bottom represents the number 27, and the notch in the very tip of the right ear signifies litter number 81. You add the values of all notches together to get the litter number or individual pig number. By utilizing the 81 notch, you can identify up to 161 distinct litters using this system.

Here is a quick reference for how the quadrant values work in practice:

Ear	Quadrant Position	Value	Max Notches per Quadrant
Right (litter)	Outside bottom	1	2
Right (litter)	Outside top	3	2
Right (litter)	Inside top	9	2
Right (litter)	Inside bottom	27	2
Right (litter)	Ear tip	81	1
Left (individual)	Outside bottom	1	2
Left (individual)	Outside top	3	2
Left (individual)	Inside top	9	2

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 individual pigs in the same litter, and all littermates must have different notches in the left ear. No more than two notches may be made at any position.

Applying notches correctly requires a sharp, clean notching tool and proper restraint of the piglet. Most producers notch within the first few days of birth, when the ear cartilage is soft and the piglet recovers quickly. Producers may start with litter number 1 on the first of the year, or restart the litter numbers several times per year, depending on the number of sows.

Penn State Extension’s Swine Home Study Course on the Universal Ear Notching System provides detailed visual diagrams if you need a hands-on reference for learning to read and apply notches correctly.

Ear Notching for Purebred Registry Compliance in West Virginia

If you raise registered swine in West Virginia, ear notching is not just a convenience — it is often a breed registry requirement. Major associations including the National Swine Registry and Certified Pedigreed Swine use the Universal Ear Notching System as the standard method for recording individual animal identity in their books of record.

Ear notching qualifies as official identification only if the ear notching has been recorded in the book of record of a purebred registry association, according to USDA APHIS guidance. That means the notch pattern alone is not enough — you need the paperwork that proves the pattern has been entered into the registry’s records, and that documentation must travel with the animal.

Under the Universal Ear Notch System, ear notches must be recorded with a breed registry association, and breed registration papers must accompany the animals. Notches are placed in the pig’s right ear to show the litter number, and the left ear to show the individual pig number.

For West Virginia producers showing purebred hogs at state fairs or selling at purebred sales, the WVDA’s Fair, Festival and Purebred Sale Regulations make clear that official ID is a non-negotiable entry requirement. Your registry certificate — which lists the ear notch pattern — serves as that documentation. Keep a copy with the animal at all times during transport and exhibition.

Pro Tip: When you register a litter with a breed association, request a copy of the registration certificate that explicitly lists the ear notch pattern for each pig. That document is your proof of official identification under both state and federal rules.

West Virginia producers who also keep goats or other small ruminants on the same property should be aware that identification requirements differ by species. The goat ownership laws in West Virginia page covers scrapie identification requirements that apply to those animals under a separate federal program.

Ear Notching vs. Ear Tags, Tattoos, and RFID in West Virginia

Ear notching is one of several identification methods recognized under federal and West Virginia rules, but it is not always interchangeable with the others. The method you choose depends on what you are doing with your pigs — breeding, showing, selling at a market, or sending to slaughter.

Here is how the main options compare for swine in West Virginia:

Method	Recognized as Official ID?	Condition Required	Best Use Case
Ear notching	Yes	Recorded with purebred registry	Purebred breeding and exhibition
Official ear tag (NUES/AIN)	Yes	USDA-approved tag applied	Market swine, feeder pigs, all purposes
840 RFID tag	Yes	Valid Premise ID required	Interstate movement, ADT compliance
Tattoo (ear or inner flank)	Yes	Recorded with swine registry association	Slaughter swine, purebred registry
USDA backtag	Yes (slaughter only)	USDA-approved backtag	Swine moving directly to slaughter
Premises ID tattoo/tag	Yes (slaughter/feeder)	PIN assigned by State Animal Health Official	Feeder and slaughter swine

Official swine tattoos issued and authorized by State or Federal Animal Health Officials are accepted on swine moving in slaughter channels. Ear notching is accepted if recorded in the book of record of a purebred registry association. Tattoos on the ear or inner flank are accepted if recorded in the book of record of a swine registry association. 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 also accepted.

RFID is increasingly the preferred option in West Virginia. The WVDA supports electronic official identification and will provide a limited number of free 840 RFID tags for official identification to each West Virginia producer with a valid premise identification number per calendar year, contingent upon yearly funding. No-cost swine RFID tags for sows and exhibition swine were made available for order in fall 2025. To request tags or a premise ID, contact the WVDA Animal Health Office at 304-558-2214.

AIN tags begin with the official country code “840” for the U.S., followed by 12 digits, and are available with radio frequency identification technology that allows them to be readable both visually and electronically. That dual readability makes 840 RFID tags far more useful at livestock markets and during disease traceability investigations than a notch pattern, which requires a trained eye to interpret on the spot.

For commercial hog operations in West Virginia, ear tags and RFID are almost always the practical choice. Ear notching remains most valuable for purebred breeders and exhibitors who need a registry-compatible, permanent method that does not depend on equipment to read.

West Virginia’s broader animal identification landscape — including how the state handles pet import documentation — is covered in the pet import laws in West Virginia guide, which is relevant if you are bringing registered swine into the state from another jurisdiction.

State-Specific Swine Identification Rules That Affect Ear Notching in West Virginia

West Virginia’s swine identification rules draw from both state code and federal regulations, and the two layers work together in ways that directly affect when and how ear notching is useful. Understanding both levels keeps you compliant whether you are moving pigs within the state or across its borders.

At the state level, West Virginia Code of State Rules § 61-1-9.7 requires that any swine involved in intrastate transfer of ownership have identification consistent with 9 CFR 71.19 — the federal rule that sets the registry-recording condition for ear notches. This means the same standard applies whether you are selling a pig to a neighbor in the same county or shipping a breeding boar to a buyer in another state.

For interstate movement, the federal standard under 9 CFR § 71.19 is clear: no swine may be sold, transported, received for transportation, or offered for sale or transportation in interstate commerce unless each swine is identified at the point of first commingling in interstate commerce, upon unloading at any livestock market, upon transfer of ownership, or upon arrival at their final destination. A registered ear notch satisfies this requirement for purebred animals, but the registry documentation must be present.

WVDA animal health field technicians continue to monitor for ID compliance in livestock moving interstate into West Virginia at fairs, festivals, and livestock shows. That means your documentation will be checked — not just assumed. If you are showing purebred hogs at a West Virginia fair and relying on ear notches as your official ID, have the registry papers physically with you.

The WVDA also participates in the federal Animal Disease Traceability (ADT) program. To encourage upgraded traceability technology, the WVDA provides producers with 25–30 RFID tags per calendar year from state funding, including cattle producers, captive cervid producers, and swine producers. This push toward electronic ID reflects a broader national trend, and while ear notching remains legally valid for purebred animals, the state’s long-term direction favors RFID as the primary traceability tool.

One practical point that West Virginia swine owners often overlook: swine to be used as pets that are not sexually intact must have had a negative pseudorabies test within 30 days of import, per WVDA import requirements. This applies regardless of what identification method you use — ear notch, tag, or RFID — and is a separate health requirement layered on top of the ID requirement.

If you keep other livestock or backyard animals alongside your pigs, West Virginia’s animal law framework applies consistently across species. The pet vaccination laws in West Virginia and leash laws in West Virginia cover related regulatory requirements that may intersect with your operation. Producers who also keep poultry will find the backyard chicken laws in West Virginia and rooster laws in West Virginia useful for understanding how the state handles multi-species operations.

Key Insight: West Virginia’s swine identification rules do not stand alone — they incorporate federal standards by reference. Staying compliant means understanding both the state rules and the underlying federal regulations they point to, particularly 9 CFR § 71.19.

For producers who want to verify current requirements directly, the WVDA Animal Disease Traceability page and the USDA APHIS swine identification reference guide are the two most authoritative sources. Both are updated when regulations change, and both should be your first stop before any significant movement or sale of swine.

Ear notching in West Virginia is a legitimate, legally recognized identification tool — but it only works when you use it correctly, register it properly, and carry the documentation to prove it. For purebred breeders and exhibitors, it remains one of the most reliable permanent ID methods available. For everyone else, the state’s growing support for RFID makes electronic identification the more practical path forward.