Cow in milking barn - The Canadian Press

By Dori Modney with files from Alice McFarlane

National dairy cattle traceability program kicks in this fall.

Jul 17, 2020 | 1:47 PM

GUELPH, ONT. — Lactanet Canada and Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) announced DairyTrace, will provide a single framework for dairy farmers to track animal identity and movements.

A mobile app is one of the technical initiatives being launched as part of the DairyTrace program on October 5, 2020.

Lactanet’s DairyTrace Advisory Committee chair Gert Schrijver said providing protection and peace of mind to consumers is vital, and when it is fully implemented, DairyTrace will provide a system to take the industry’s efforts to the next level.

“The launch of DairyTrace will be a pivotal milestone for dairy producers, as it will provide the data management infrastructure needed to provide a true, pan-Canadian picture of the movements of dairy cattle,” Schrijver said.

Under federal regulations anyone who owns or is in possession, care or control of dairy cattle must report animal identity, movement, location, and custodianship information.

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DairyTrace will be managed by Lactanet’s Board of Directors, with input and collaboration from DFC. DairyTrace takes advantage of existing structures, systems and solutions within the Canadian dairy cattle sector, including partnerships with Agri-Traçabilité Québec (ATQ) and Holstein Canada, which provides benefits in terms of efficiency, cost effectiveness and timely implementation:

• ATQ has expertly led the livestock traceability program in Québec for over 18 years. ATQ will be hosting, supporting, and transferring data to the DairyTrace system and will continue to provide its well-established services to Québec producers via SimpliTRACE.
• Outside Québec, dairy producers will continue to purchase dairy bovine tags via the National Livestock Identification for Dairy (NLID) program, which will now be dovetailed alongside DairyTrace customer services. Both will be offered from Holstein Canada.

The announcement follows a related communication from the Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA), recognizing Lactanet Canada as the national administrator responsible for dairy bovine animals under Part XV of the Health of Animals Regulations.

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