What’s Individual Identification Number for Cattle?

■It compiles information about production history of cattle a database in 10-digits number

In 13th year of Heisei (2001), a cow infected with BSE was found for the first time in Japan. This brought to the publication of ”Special Measures Law concerning administration and communication of information for Individual Identification of Cattle ”, of which purpose is to secure the trust towards safety of beefs.
By this law, all cattle bred in Japan are due to be earmarked with an ear tag printed 10 digits Individual Identification Number and with this Individual Identification Number, the gender, class of cattle, in the case of beef cattle, the way of breeding, even slaughter are recorded in database.

■The same number when being a beef

Since the 16th of December, 2004, every thing from the process (dressed carcass → sub primal → dressed beef) to the arrival at consumers has come to be administered with this Individual Identification Number. In short, consumers are able to trace back all the process of production/logistics of beefs. Thus, it enabled consumers the traceability (obtaining the track record of production, logistics) and in addition, it’s expected to heighten consumers’ trust towards beefs.

How to search for indidual identification number

If you access from your computer, click the link below or banner.
Independent Corporation, Animal Improvement Center, Individual Identification Division

Please input 10-digits Individual Identification Number of cattle, that you want to examine, in the “Individual Identification Number Search” of the page indicated from the link above and press the search button.