1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to identifying animals. More particularly, the present invention relates to devices and methods for identifying and tracking animals based on animal identifiers and biological samples.
2. Background Information
Many systems of animal identification currently exist, such as ear tags, branding, tattoos, visual tags, bar codes, radio frequency identification (“RFID”) implants, RFID tags, DNA sampling and retinal imaging. Each of these technologies suffers shortcomings with respect to retention, alterability, cost or ease of use. Ear tags, RFID tags and visual tags, for example, are subject to retention problems as an animal can snag and break the tag on fences, trees or other obstructions. Moreover, tags, brands and tattoos can be altered, while RFID implants can be removed.
While DNA sampling and retinal imaging do not possess the same shortcomings with respect to retention and alterability, current methods of DNA sampling and retinal imaging are also deficient. Current DNA sampling techniques use a tissue sample extracted from animals to identify a particular animal. The tissue samples must be processed according to special techniques and do not provide readily available identification of individual animals in the field. Moreover, the tissue samples must be frozen to keep for a long period of time. Retinal imaging techniques, similarly, require costly equipment and, like DNA samples, the identification information produced by current retinal imaging techniques is difficult to match to a particular animal in the field. Despite these deficiencies, DNA sampling and retinal imaging are the only technologies that allow reliable quantitative quality control auditing of live animals.
None of the existing technologies have been used effectively in a process to track animals or their meat products from birth to consumption. This is of concern because food animals are at risk from contamination by a large number of biological agents, including, but not limited to: Hog Cholera, Avian Influenza, African Swine Fever, Bovine Spongiform Encepholpathy, Foot and Mouth Disease, Newcastle Disease, Cholera, Shigellosis, Anthrax, Smallpox, Plague, Ebola, Botulism, Rift Valley Fever Virus and bioengineered pathogens. Because of the fast livestock production and processing systems currently employed, there is a potential for fast transport and transference of such disease agents between animals and to humans from contact with the animals or their meat products. Without a well defined animal identification and tracking process for food animals, contamination or adulteration of the meat supply, either naturally or as the result of manmade conditions (e.g., bioterrorism), can remain undetected until a large number of people or animals have been impacted. The ability to accurately and quickly identify and track individual animals and their meat products from birth to consumption is critical for the containment of any incidents of contamination or disease outbreak and minimizing any resulting adverse effects. Additionally, prior systems have typically not been used to effectively identify, track and select genotypes, traits or animal characteristics in animals, such as meat production animals, that regularly change locations and owners.