FAQs on Age Verification

Age Verification is recognized as an important component of effective traceability systems. Producers can enter and store Birth Date information in the Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS) database and have it readily available for domestic and export markets.

Age verification (AV) is not mandatory in Canada. Alberta regulation that required AV of cattle was repealed in 2020. Even though AV is not mandatory regulated information, some niche programs may require that animals are age verified to qualify. Producers are encouraged to record Birth Date information in the CLTS database administered by the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA) as part of building a world-class traceability system.

Detailed instructions are available in the CLTS Resource Centre or the Client Support Representatives can provide instructions over the phone. 1.877.909.2333

• • Check animals’ Birth Dates prior to purchasing. Any Canadian Livestock Tracking System (CLTS) users can see Birth Dates by RFID tag number.
  • Demand to see the birth certificate prior to purchasing. Any potential errors could be addressed with the seller at that time.

It can only be done by the herd of origin account holder where the tag was issued to, not by any subsequent custodian of the animal.

Yes, it can. The account holder has the ability to change or delete from any of the CLTS applications including CLTS MOBO. This change can only be made by the herd of origin account holder. If a birth date or a modification is made after the animal is 9 months of age a note will appear on the Tag History and Birth Certificate indicating this change has been made.

If the requestor is the source of the Birth Date, they can make changes to the Birth Date directly in their CLTS account. If the requestor is not the source account then unfortunately, CCIA is unable to assist in making the change in Birth Date request as this is not mandatory/regulated data. While the CLTS database can receive Birth Date information from herd of origin account holders across Canada, there is no support available from CCIA for requests to change a Birth Date.

Some export markets require that animals/carcasses be under a certain age. When the tag is read at the abattoir, the Birth Date attached to that tag becomes part of the information that will follow the carcass. If the Birth Date is wrong, it may disqualify the carcass for the targeted market, leading to lower prices or a downgrade.

Two common errors:

• Producers apply a birth range to a series of tags, but do not use all of them on the same calf crop. The leftovers are applied to animals born the following year, but the birth information is not updated.
• The wrong year is used when inputting the Birth Dates or range.