VS 1-66 Manufacturer Application for Official Identification Dev

According to the Paperwork Reduction Act of 1995, an agency may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not
required to respond to, a collection of information unless it displays a valid OMB control number. The OMB control
number for this information collection is 0579-0327. The time required to complete this information collection is
estimated to average 15 hours per response, including the time for reviewing instructions, searching existing data
sources, gathering and maintaining the data needed, and completing and reviewing the collection of information.

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
ANIMAL AND PLANT HEALTH INSPECTION SERVICE
VETERINARY SERVICES

OMB Approved
0579-0327
EXP.: XX/XX/XXXX

MANUFACTURER APPLICATION FOR
OFFICIAL IDENTIFICATION DEVICES

National Uniform Eartagging System (NUES)
Metal 1 - Visual only Eartags

I. Contact Information
Business Information
Company Name

Contact Person Name

Address

Contact Person Email

Phone

City, State, ZIP

FAX

Nonproducer Participant Number (NPN)

Company Website (URL)

Manufacturing Plant Information (if different from above)
Company Name

Contact Person Name

Address

Contact Person Email

Phone

City, State/Province, ZIP (Country if other than US)

FAX

1

Please request an application for plastic eartags if you wish to have plastic eartags approved for use with the NUES
numbers
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JUN 2018

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II. Tag Description, Specifications, and Performance
Manufacturing
What is the company’s role regarding the tag being applied for?
Manufacturing and imprinting

Imprinting only

Manufacturer Product Name of the Applied for Tag

Manufacturer Product Code Number of the Applied for Tag

What is the bi-weekly production capacity for this tag?

What is the anticipated inventory for this tag?

Physical Description
(See specification section for description of the measurements)
Width (inch)

Inside dimension height after closure (inch)

Weight (grams)

Inside dimension length after closure (inch)

Species
Species for which tag is recommended
Bison

Cattle

Deer/Elk

Pigs

Other (please list):

Metal NUES tags used for Sheep and Goats use the 8 character NUES numbers and are imprinted on smaller tags and are
approved through the Scrapie eradication program.

III. Official Identification for Other Countries
Please list the National Identification Programs of other countries in which this tag is currently an approved tag.
Country

Date Approved

Country

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JUN 2018

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Date Approved

IV. Specifications, Performance and Quality Controls
Specifications and Performance of the NUES Tag
The following specifications are required for the production of NUES tags. Clearly explain how the device being
applied for meets or exceeds the following criteria (either enter the response in the text box below or submit on
a separate attachment). When appropriate, include other reference documentation (charts, summaries, etc.)
with the application and note such explanations. Provide an independent evaluation or self certification
when applicable that the submitted device meets or exceeds the listed specifications.
Evaluation of the tag specifications must adhere to the following criteria for Lab and Field testing if used:
Laboratory
The applicant may include information provided by an independent third party, documenting that the device
meets or exceeds the tag specifications, listed below and in Table 1, in laboratory test. A minimum of 25
tags is required for this evaluation. Be sure that the test is fully documented and include the contact person
of the third party that conducted the test.
Field Environment (Tag loss rates)
The applicant must provide information documenting that the device meets or exceeds the Tag loss rates
listed in the specifications below and in Table 1. A minimum of 300 observations using at least 100 metal
tags over a three month period is required. Be sure that the test is fully documented and includes the
contact information of the person that conducted the test.

For clarification, the following codes will be used to identify the side of the tag being described:
Side 1 -- flat surface with NUES (serial) number
Side 2 -- flat surface with dimple for lock bar
Side 3 -- self-piercing tip
•

Tag Size and Shape Specifications:
The width of the tag shall be 5/16 to 11/32 of an inch. The end of Side 2 shall be rounded, not squared. The
edges of the tag shall be parallel to each other.
The inside dimension height of the tag after closure shall be 7/16 to 1/2 of an inch at the locking end,
measured at 90 degrees to the lock bar. The inside dimension length of the tag after closure shall be 1/4 to
1/2 inches. Side 1 shall not bend upon closure.

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JUN 2018

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•

Metal and Paint Specifications:
The ear tag shall be made of SAE 1008 nickel—zinc plated steel with a minimum coating thickness per side
of 0.000075 inches with a planished finish. The thickness of the metal shall be a minimum of 0.042 inches.
The metal shall provide 75 hours of protection in a salt spray test against red dust ASTM-B1l7
Specifications. The steel shall not break or crack upon closure of the ear tag.
The tags shall have a Number 5 slit edge with no burrs. (As defined in ASTM Standard A 109-93, Standard
Specification for Steel, Strip, Carbon, Cold-Rolled)

•

•

Tag closure specifications: The tags shall be of self-piercing and self-locking design. The tag shall have
a sharpened tip (Side 3) that will penetrate the animal’s ear during the process of closing. Side 3 shall
lock/curl under the bar on Side 2 and shall not protrude more than 1/32 of an inch above the inside surface
plane of Side 2 after locking.
Tamper evident: One Time Use – Tamper evident locking mechanism
Explain how the tag is constructed and designed for one-time use (tamper evident). Be sure to clearly
explain how the tag cannot be removed from one animal and reapplied to another animal without evidence
that this action has occurred.

•

Unalterable stamping: The stamping on the tag may not be readily altered.

•

Readability: The characters stamped on the tag must be easily and reliably readable consistent with the
makeup and application of the tag.

•

Tag loss rates: On average, when applied in a manner approved by the manufacturer, not more than 1
percent of tags applied may be lost in the year following application or in any year thereafter under normal
field conditions over the expected life of the tag.

•

Expected tag life: The minimum time that a tag shall be expected to remain on an animal in a functional
state (physically) is for the expected life of the animal.

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JUN 2018

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•

Tag toxicity and animal injury: Tags may do no harm to an animal or affect its health or well-being. Tags
may not cause chemical contamination of meat or edible offal or damage the hide.

•

Tag deterioration: The steel shall not break or crack upon closure of the ear tag.

•

Tag abrasion resistance: Tags shall not exhibit damage or change due to wear that would render the tag
unreadable.

Quality Control
Explain your control measures and ability to produce a tag consistently according to the specifications. Include
procedures that will ensure the uniqueness of the NUES is maintained. If applicable, enclose your company’s
quality control plan.

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JUN 2018

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V. Application Packet for Submission
Application and supporting documents
o

Ship one hard copy set of the entire application and supporting materials to the address listed below.

o

On the date the hard copy application is submitted, email a Portable Document Format (PDF) version
of the entire hard copy set to the email addresses listed below. This email provides an alert to ADT
staff that your application packet has been shipped.

o

Photograph of tag: Submit a close up view of the tag as a digital photo in JPG format with the email
containing the pdf version of the application. If the tag is approved, the photo will be used in the listing
of NUES tags (see: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/traceability/downloads/ADT_device_nues.pdf)

Sample Tags
Provide at least 100 samples of the applied for tag with imprinting as defined in Table 2 in the Appendix of this
application. The NUES test numbers, 60ABC0001 through 60ABC0100, should be imprinted on the tags.
Please package the sample tags so to maintain 25 tags in numerical sequence, e.g., 60ABC0001 through
60ABC025, 60ABC00026 through 60ABC050, etc.

Tag applicators
Provide three applicators used to apply the tag being applied for.

Submit Original Application (hard copy), Sample Tags and Taggers to:
USDA APHIS Veterinary Services
c/o Animal Traceability Staff
4700 River Road, Unit #200
Riverdale, Maryland 20737

Email PDF Application and Digital Photo to:
(Please send the email on the date the application packet is shipped.)
[email protected],gov

Direct Questions To:
Email: [email protected],gov
Phone: Daisy M. Witherspoon

301-851-3496

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JUN 2018

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Appendix
Table 1 — NUES Tags – Requirements and Description
Specification and Performance Requirements
Tag Size and Shape
Specifications

The width of the tag shall be 5/16 to 12/32 of an inch. The end of Side 2 shall be rounded, not
squared. The edges of the tag shall be parallel to each other. The inside dimension height of the tag
after closure shall be 7/16 to 1/2 of an inch at the locking end, measured at 90 degrees to the lock bar.
The inside dimension length of the tag after closure shall be 1/4 to 1/2 inches. Side 1 shall not bend
upon closure.

Metal and Paint
Specifications:

The ear tag shall be made of SAE 1008 nickel—zinc plated steel with a minimum coating thickness per
side of 0.000075 inches with a planished finish. The thickness of the metal shall be a minimum of
0.042 inches.
The metal shall provide 75 hours of protection in a salt spray test against red dust ASTM-B1l7
Specifications. The steel shall not break or crack upon closure of the ear tag.
The tags shall have a Number 5 slit edge with no burrs. (As defined in ASTM Standard A 109-93,
Standard Specification for Steel, Strip, Carbon, Cold-Rolled)

Tag closure specifications

The tags shall be of self-piercing and self-locking design. The tag shall have a sharpened tip (Side 3)
that will penetrate the animal’s ear during the process of closing. Side 3 shall lock/curl under the bar
on Side 2 and shall not protrude more than 1/32 of an inch above the inside surface plane of Side 2
after locking.

Tamper evident

The tag must be designed for one-time use (tamper evident), making it impossible to remove and
reapply the tag without visual evidence of tampering

Unalterable stamping

The stamping on the tag may not be readily altered.

Readability

The characters stamped on the tag must be easily and reliably readable consistent with the makeup
and application of the tag.

Tag loss rates

On average, when applied in a manner approved by the manufacturer, not more than 1 percent of tags
applied may be lost in the year following application or in any year thereafter under normal field
conditions over the expected life of the tag.

Expected tag life

The minimum time that a tag shall be expected to remain on an animal in a functional state (physically)
is for the expected life of the animal.

Tag toxicity and animal injury

Tags may do no harm to an animal or affect its health or well-being.
Tags may not cause chemical contamination of meat or edible offal or damage the hide.

Tag deterioration

The steel shall not break or crack upon closure of the ear tag

Tag abrasion resistance

Tags shall not exhibit damage or change due to wear that would render the tag unreadable.

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JUN 2018

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Table 2 — Printing Standards NUES Tags
Stamping Description
•

The tag must have the Official Eartag Shield stamped on the outer surface of side 2 opposite the NUES number.

•

The Official Eartag Shield must have a minimum width of 0.2 inches (5mm).

•

The alpha or numeric state/Tribe code must be stamped on side 2 after the Official Eartag Shield.

•

All characters of the NUES number shall be stamped on the outer surface between the radius of the curvature of the Side 3
and the radius of the curvature between Side 1 and Side 2.

•

The font for all characters stamped on the tag must be Helvetica 10 point, if different, approved by USDA.

•

All characters are embedded (stamped) 0.25 mm +1- 0.01 mm into the metal.

•

All characters shall be 3/16 of an inch high and a minimum of 6.5 characters per linear inch (9 characters per 1 7/16 to 1/2
inches).

•

There shall be a minimum of 0.04 of an inch space between characters.

•

The manufacturer logo (or name) or a stamp of a USDA determined single alpha character unique to each manufacturer
must be easily observed on the tag after closure. This letter will be used to easily and quickly identify the tags manufacturer
when necessary.

•

Printing of other information may be authorized if it does not compromise the readability of the required information.

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