Port Blair, Sept. 4: The Department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services has taken up ear tagging in cattle and buffaloes of North and Middle Andaman District. The yellow tamper proof ear tag with 12-digit unique identification number will not only help to keep the track record of livestock and owner but will also effectively help in dealing with the problem of cattle roaming free on road by identifying the owner who let their cattle free and by imposing fine by the local bodies (Panchayat).

Under the jurisdiction of Mayabunder, till date 241 numbers of cattle and buffaloes have been ear tagged. The process will continue till all the villages under Mayabunder jurisdiction are covered.

The ear tagging system has been initiated as part of the National Digital Livestock Mission of the Government of India. By tagging every individual details of the cattle/buffalo and livestock is captured such as breed, age, sex, owner’s name, village, Aadhaar number and other details. The ear tag will also help in tracking of the animal details during natural calamity. This unique tag number will also be used for recording Artificial Insemination (AI) done through sex sorted semen in cattle and in subsequent events of those animals (AI/DD/Treatment etc.) the ID number will act as a reference and show all previous records of events of that animal.