Domestically, the U.S. uses a 17-digit unique ID for female and male dairy animals which consists of a 2-digit breed code, 3-digit country code and 12-digit number. For international trade, the U.S. follows guidelines set by ICAR and Interbull. International IDs overlap largely with domestic IDs but have 19 digits and consist of a 3-digit breed code, 3-digit country code, 1-digit gender code and a 12-digit number.
For traceability, bulls for artificial insemination in the U.S. receive a unique code that is printed on semen straws and used for recording and marketing. This NAAB Uniform code consists of 10 digits.
The breed code and country code are critical for accurate animal identification and data flow.
The U.S. has two official country codes: 840 and USA. Both codes indicate the U.S. as country of origin; however the codes are not interchangeable.
Link below for official lists of breed and country codes. There can be differences, based on source of the ID and depending on use for international trade or domestic (U.S.).
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