Oormerken

Oormerken is the Dutch term for ear tagging, the practice of attaching an identification mark to the ear of livestock. It is used primarily for cattle, sheep and goats to provide a unique identifier for each animal, enabling traceability, record-keeping, ownership identification and compliance with animal-identity regulations.

There are two main types of oormerken. Visual ear tags are made of plastic or metal and carry a printed code. Electronic identification (EID) tags contain an RFID transponder that can be read by scanners. Tags are usually placed in the ear early in an animal’s life, following welfare guidelines to minimize pain and the risk of infection. In some systems, ear notching or tattooing may accompany tagging, but ear tags remain the standard in many sectors.

Regulatory context: Many jurisdictions require official identification and registration of livestock, with movements and holdings recorded in national or regional herd databases. In the European Union, cattle identification and registration are generally mandated, and RFID-based tagging is increasingly common, though specific rules vary by country and species.

Practical considerations: Ear tags support rapid identification at farms, markets and abattoirs, and integrate with farm management software and disease-control programs. Tags can be lost or damaged, necessitating replacement, and tagging activities raise welfare considerations that require proper handling, sanitation and species-appropriate tag sizes.

Outlook: Oormerken remains a standard technique for livestock identification in many regions, with ongoing adoption of electronic systems that improve data accuracy, traceability and interoperability with digital records.