Udaipur: Aadhaar-like UID for bovines now

UDAIPUR: The animal husbandry department has embarked on an ambitious project of issuing 12-digit barcoded ear tags to identify, register and track cattle population.
Each animal will be provided a thermoplastic polyurethane ear tag bearing 12-digit UID. Like Aadhaar cards for humans, the Pashu Aadhaar scheme has been launched with an aim of enhancing traceability of livestock and their products, such as milk or meat. It is being touted as the world’s largest existing database of animals. “The scheme would help farmers and animal husbandry officials devise better strategies to manage livestock in the country. Pashu Aadhaar assigns a unique identification number to each animal, alongside a host of other related data that will help in managing the country’s vast livestock resources,” said Bhupendra Bharadwaj, deputy director, animal husbandry department.
The project is being carried out under the Information Network for Animal Productivity and Health (INAPH) which has been developed by the National Dairy Development Board (NDDB).
“We have received ear tags and some 400 employees of the department are working on the onerous task to cover the huge bovine population in Udaipur. The tags would contain data on the bovines’ species, breed, pedigree, and information related to calving, artificial insemination, milk production, feeding, nutrition history and vaccination,” Bharadwaj said.
All indigenous, nondescript, crossbred as well as exotic milch animals above the age of four months are being covered for the database. “The database would help veterinarians to deliver better health services to the cattle owners. The vaccinations, deworming and disease testing services are provided to the animals at regular intervals. These intervals are configured in the system based on parameters like disease, age, etc., which alerts the veterinarians to take appropriate action at appropriate time. The complete case history of the treatment services provided on an animal would also be maintained and available to the veterinarians on finger tips for better diagnosis and treatment of the animal. First information report on outbreak and its follow-up can also be recorded along with provision to send alerts to the affected areas,” Dr Shakti Singh, the in-charge of the project, said.