In June, Nebraska Cattlemen's association reached an agreement with APEIS, a Norfolk, Neb. company, to provide the system. BEEFTrax allows producers to manage individual-animal data for their herds while creating a source-verifiable, electronically identified supply of cattle. Producers also will be able to benchmark their animals against others in the BEEFTrax system.

The BEEFTrax system is designed around electronic animal identification. Producers can purchase external electronic ear tags on line. The tag numbers are added to a central database and shipped to the producer. The producer then can log on to a secure website and enter production data on individual animals or groups. Only the producer who purchases the tags controls access to individual production data added to the system. They can perform day-to-day recordkeeping functions such as entering weights, vaccinations, treatments and other procedures, as well as make performance calculations, genetic evaluations and track individual animal performance.

The ear tags also will help producers establish cattle origin to comply with the government's pending country of origin labeling program. Owners of the ear tags will be able to transfer ownership of the tags at no additional cost whenever cattle are sold. Production data can also be transferred.

After meeting with several of the nation's leading animal-ID and data-management firms, NC decided the BEEFTrax system was the most appropriate for assisting producers with current and future cattle-marketing challenges. NC leaders solicited proposals from five animal-ID companies. After careful review and discussion, they selected the BEEFTrax system, said NC President Jim Hanna of Brownlee.

"We felt it was important to offer an affordable animal-ID and data-management alternative as broadly as possible," Hanna said. "Cattle producers from Nebraska and across the nation can choose to participate in BEEFTrax, regardless of association membership status."

The system will also help producers meet Country of Origin Labeling in the future. For more information, contact the Nebraska Cattlemen office at 402/475-2333.(c) ©