**For Immediate Release**
Cattle Tag Research Continues
-released by OPSU Campus Communications 07/12/06
by Laura Dahl
Goodwell, Okla. — Oklahoma Panhandle State University’s
School of Agriculture has been busy researching radio frequency
identification (RFID) cattle tagging products over the
past several months. The research is made possible by an
economic development grant received last fall from the
Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education.
Primary goals of the over $116,000 grant include educating
Oklahoma producers about the need for animal identification
and encouraging them to obtain premises identification
numbers for their farms and ranches. OPSU faculty also
offer training in the proper use of the RFID systems and
assistance in determining the product that best suits the
needs of each operation. Secondarily, the program offers
OPSU students the opportunity to gain education about performing
research and implementing an animal tracking system.
Dr. Peter Camfield, OPSU’s
Dean of Agriculture, reported they have tagged approximately
5,000 head of cattle since last October in Cushing, Ripley,
Magnum, in Oklahoma near Texarkana as well as locally
in Hooker and Guymon. The first year will be completed
this October, and Camfield plans to have the first-year
data compiled early in 2007. The study ends in December
of 2007.
“This important research will provide producers
state-wide with comprehensive information about which tags
and readers function best for a particular situation. We
are testing four different RFID tags and two different
types of RFID readers to determine which combinations work
the best. Testing under a variety of grazing and confined
feeding operations and climactic conditions will help producers
match their needs with the appropriate product,” said
Camfield. Currently, RFID tag use is voluntary; however,
the United States Department of Agriculture has announced
plans to make animal tracking mandatory.
Camfield and his staff remain dedicated to providing cattle
producers in Oklahoma with timely, practical and accessible
information to use in their business. For more information
about the study, telephone Camfield at 580-349-1514 or
email him at pcamfield@opsu.edu.
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