Extension Circular 234 presents the Nebraska system for tattooing hogs for identification after slaughter

Boomer, G. R.

Waggener, O. O.

English

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University of Nebraska - LincolnDigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - LincolnHistorical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension Extension10-1928EC234 Nebraska System for Tattooing Hogs forIdentification after SlaughterG. R. BoomerO. O. WaggenerFollow this and additional works at: http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhistThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the Extension at DigitalCommons@University of Nebraska - Lincoln. It has been accepted forinclusion in Historical Materials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension by an authorized administrator of DigitalCommons@University ofNebraska - Lincoln.Boomer, G. R. and Waggener, O. O., "EC234 Nebraska System for Tattooing Hogs for Identification after Slaughter" (1928). HistoricalMaterials from University of Nebraska-Lincoln Extension. 4452.http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/extensionhist/4452October, 1928 Nebraska System for Tattooing Hogs for Identification after. ughter . ~~ ~(J~ ~' ,..\. ~~ ~~ ~~~-~ ~~~ ~~~\J \)\ Fig. 4 THE UNIVERSITY OF NEBRASKA AGRICULTURAL COLLEGE EXTENSION SERVICE AND THE UNITED STATES DEPART-MENT OF AGRICULTURE COOPERATING W. H. BROKAW, Director, Lincoln Nebraska System for Tattooing Hogs for Identification after Slaughter BY G. R. BOOMER AND 0 . 0 . WAGGENER A plan to identify the individual farm upon which hogs reaching' market are produced has been developed in connection with the efforts toward eradicating tuberculosis among farm animals. While pri· marily intended as a means of tracing back to determine sources of disease infection, the system of tattooing which is being developed has other significant possibilities. With the growing emphasis on quality products in the market, it is only fair t hat the producers of high quality commodities receive the premiums paid by processors and consumers. Health of farm animals is a quality factor. The producer of healthy hogs should be rewarded. Likewise, the producer of diseased hogs profits from knowledge that his animals are infected and can institute efforts to control that source of loss. The packers have been paying premiums for hogs produced in counties which are accredited as practically free of tuberculosis infec-tion among cattle. The prevalence of avian tuberculosis as found in sla ughtered hogs originating in these counties makes it all the more n e·cessary that a sure and definite method of tracing and locating the source of such infection should be employed. To reduce still further the disease infection which may show up at time of slaughter , a means of tracing it back to the source of infection has been developed. By means of tattoo· marking, the county, township, and farm upon which each hog slaughtered is produced may be deter:rp.ined. Still other possibilities t han t hat of tracing disease are offered by developing the tattooing method of identity. It should prove a dis· tinct aid in tracing and identifying stolen property. It would also permit reporting back to each producer how his hogs fulfilled market requirements as to carcass type, dressing per cent, and other factoTs. Pursued still further, connection between the killing quality and feed-ing methods could be determined for the in~ormation of the producer. To aid in carrying out this plan a system of designating each 40 acre'S in a county by a permanent mark has been devised for the pur-pose of assigning codes to be used in tattooing hogs originating in accredited counties for identification purposes. STATE LETTER Five letters and digits are assigned to each farm. The first letter of this code indicates the state· and to Nebraska has been assigned the code letter "N." All Nebraska hogs carry "N " as the first letter of their brand. COUNTY LETTER The second letter indicates the county. T-he letters have been as-signed in the order of county accreditations. Seward county is illus-tl·ate d, and since it was the twenty-sixth county passed, its code letter is " Z." All Seward county hcgs have "N Z " as the 'first two letters of their code. SE.\\]AQO COUtlTY 0 c B e. F G L K J M N 0 A H I p T OW NSHIP LETTER T he t hird letter identifi es the township. The lettering begins in the northeast corner progressing we·st, then east, etc., as illustrated on the co unty map. Counties are of different sizes, bu t all are laid ou t in legal townships. T he northeast township is a lways " A," then moving west, the letters are assigned in order until the northwest township is designated. The township just sou th of the northwest town-ship is given the fo llowing letter, and we then move east in the order of ass:gnme-nt. Fig. 1 This•order is carried on until all townships have been assigned an identifying letter. (Fig. 1.) TOIIJ/1151-iiP PLOT 6 ~ .. ) l I I' E 0 c B A 7 G H I J K L I .. I I Q Q p 0 H H .. " ll l .. 5 T u v w X ~ z l8 l .. ., 4 3 2. I z y )I Jl .. ; l~ l' !!I 6 7 g -Fig. 2 StCTIOH I MIL( l>QUAQE D c B • E F G H L K J I M N 0 p SECT ION LETTER The fourth letter indicates the particular section· within the township. Letters are as-signed to the section in the same order that the sections are numbered legally. This applies to t he first 26 sections. The last ten are given number digits with a bar (-) for section 3 6. (Fig. 2.) FARM L ETTER The last or fifth letter of the. brand is to identify the farm within the section of land. Whe·n the section is divided into 16 parts as illustrated in F ig. 3, we have an identifying letter for each 40 acre division of the section. Each 40 acre division· is designated as shown in Fig. 3 by the 40 on which the buildings are located. This makes possible 16 locations on Fig. 3 each legal section of land. If buildings are located on the SE 14 of t he SE 1,4 of the section, the :farm code figure would be "P." If the buildings are on t he NW 14 of the· SW 14 the farm code figure would be "L." If a farmer knows the legal description of h is land on which the buildings are located, the tattoo code can easily be determined, and there will be no chance for duplication. W HERE T O T ATTOO T HE HOG When this brand has been e'3tablished and tattooed on a hog's back ..- __--(Fig. 4) slightly to one side of the center line, and just between the shoulder blades or where the neck joins the back, we have· a mark ·that reads easily after the hog is scalded and scraped in dressing. MATERIAL TO USE The substance used in making the tattoo marks is ordinary lamp black mixed with linseed oil to a rather thick, sticky paste, which is put on the· marker by means of a paint brush or by having the paste in a small container, dipping the tattoo instrument into it. A sharp stroke is required to penetrate the thick skin of the hog. * * * * Code letters may be obtained from the county agent if there is one in the county, or from the county clerk. They will also be in a posi-tion to advise where to obtain the necessary tattoo instruments (Fi~. 5). It is possible under this ·w stem to notify the producer of the hogs as to the results of the govei·riment inspection on his lot, and if infec-tious diseases are found, he ·will hav.e definite information and may take steps to eliminate such di sea~es from his live stock. ' -f' ' Fig. 5 

EC234  Nebraska System for Tattooing Hogs for Identification after Slaughter

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EC234 Nebraska System for Tattooing Hogs for Identification after Slaughter

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