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Concerns regarding management of animal disease and related perceptions about food safety have escalated substantially in recent years. Terrorist attacks of September 2001, discovery of bovine spongiform encephalopathy in a dairy cow in December 2003 in Washington state and subsequent discoveries of BSE infected animals in Texas in 2005 and Alabama in 2006, and recent worldwide outbreaks of highly contagious animal diseases (ie, Foot-and-Mouth Disease and Avian Influenza A (H5N1)) have made apparent the need for animal traceability in US livestock production and marketing. In addition, animal identification and trace-back systems are rapidly developing throughout the world increasing international trading standards.