08/13/2026
A Note from American Sheep Industry’s Animal Health Committee Co-Chairs:
As sheep producers, we are responsible for officially identifying cull ewes and rams, breeding stock of all ages being sold, sheep going to shows, and, in some states, lambs sold through auction markets. Requirements vary depending on the animal and state regulations, but official identification remains an important part of protecting our industry’s markets. This requirement has been in place since 2001, when the National Scrapie Eradication Program was launched. Although most of the industry follows these regulations, there is still room to improve compliance. Recent events highlight why official ID is so important.
With New World Screwworm (NWS) detections affecting animal movement, states without NWS cases are requiring and inspecting official identification on sheep moving from affected states. These states are working to protect their livestock industries by verifying where incoming animals originate. In addition, the recent detection of scrapie in ewe at a slaughter facility in Oregon through routine slaughter surveillance is a reminder that disease traceability is essential. Official USDA-approved ear tags are available in several types, and the costs are quite reasonable.
Tags can be applied at any point in an animal’s life. Some operations find it easiest to tag lambs at birth and use those tags for management purposes, while others tag sheep in chutes or trailers as animals leave the ranch of origin. Sheep may also be tagged at auction markets. Official identification, along with producer and sale records, help keep market channels open for our industry giving animal health officials the ability to respond quickly when disease is detected while minimizing disruptions to producers. We should be proud of these efforts because they have helped protect our industry and will continue to do so in the future.
Learn more about ASI Scrapie resources here. >>https://champ.ly/tKcfEYx8
