Source: DairyTrace
What is DairyTrace?
DairyTrace is the new national dairy cattle traceability program administered by Lactanet Canada. This change took place on October 5, 2020. DairyTrace provides protection, prosperity and peace of mind to the Canadian dairy industry and its customers in the event of an emergency.
What has changed?
Dairy producers will now report their traceability data to DairyTrace where the system will manage information for the 1.4 million dairy cattle on over 10,000 farms across Canada. Other affiliates involved in the dairy cattle traceability chain, such as auction facilities, exhibitions/fairs, assembly yards, abattoirs, calf growers, transporters, veterinarians, etc., can also report directly to DairyTrace or continue using their current reporting methods and the dairy data will automatically be transmitted to DairyTrace. Refer to the new DairyTrace web site at www.DairyTrace.ca for more details and how to get started.
I report my traceability data to the CLTS, will this change?
The CLTS (Canadian Livestock Tracking System) is administered by the Canadian Cattle Identification Agency (CCIA). Before October 5, 2020, CCIA was responsible for traceability information for dairy cattle outside of Québec, as well as for beef cattle, caprine, ovine, cervid and bison. As the dairy industry has unique needs to that of the beef sector, Lactanet Canada is now the new traceability administrator for dairy cattle. The vision of DairyTrace is that it includes all offspring born on a dairy farm, regardless of their sex, breed composition or end use. As of October 5, 2020, dairy producers outside of Québec will no longer submit traceability data to the CLTS but rather to DairyTrace.
How do DairyTrace and proAction® work together?
Traceability is one of six modules of the Dairy Farmers of Canada (DFC) proAction® initiative, which establishes premises identification, tagging, recording and reporting requirements for dairy producers across Canada. DairyTrace provides the national database that producers report their traceability data to. Aligned with these proAction® requirements, the DairyTrace program is run by Lactanet Canada, as the responsible administrator for dairy cattle traceability, who therefore maintains the database while offering the tools and services for a national traceability system.
Is traceability regulated?
Under federal regulations and/or proAction® requirements, everyone who owns or has the possession, care or control of dairy cattle must report animal identity, movement, location and custodianship information to DairyTrace. Québec has its own provincial traceability regulations, therefore dairy farmers and non-producer affiliates in the province of Québec will continue to report to Agri-Traçabilité Québec (ATQ) using SimpliTRACE and the dairy traceability data will be transferred to DairyTrace behind the scenes.
How do I order tags?
Although the DairyTrace logo, tag order forms and other branding may appear different, tag distributors have not changed. If you reside outside the province of Québec, all dairy tags can be ordered through DairyTrace Customer Services or NLID (National Livestock Identification for Dairy) offered through Holstein Canada on behalf of the DairyTrace program. Dairy producers living in the province of Québec will continue to order tags directly from ATQ.
How do I report traceability events to DairyTrace?
Reporting has never been easier and you have several options. Linked to the new DairyTrace web site at www.DairyTrace.ca, you can access our new DairyTrace on-line portal and mobile app. For producers needing non-electronic options for reporting, paper forms can be downloaded from the DairyTrace web site or ordered from customer services and submitted to DairyTrace by mail, fax or email.
On-farm herd management software tools, such as DairyComp and Lac-T offered by Lactanet, are also available for convenient automated reporting from the farm directly to DairyTrace. Other industry partners, such as breed associations like Holstein Canada, can also receive, send and report event information to the DairyTrace database on your behalf for registered animals. Contact with your herd management software company to ask if they have linked directly with DairyTrace.
How do I get the DairyTrace app?
It’s simple! Search the App Store to install DairyTrace onto your mobile device. Don’t forget, you must first activate your DairyTrace account on-line or through DairyTrace customer services before you can work with the app.
Does anything else change with DairyTrace?
Another very important change is the availability of a new white single button RFID tag for dairy animals born outside the province of Québec. This new tag is allowable under proAction® requirements as an exception for identifying calves born on a dairy farm that are destined to leave the farm at a young age for the meat sector. The white single button tag is designed to replace the current allowable use of yellow button tags and keeps those animals within the DairyTrace system. All other animals on dairy farms across Canada must be double tagged. Dual tags, single tags and exceptional customer service: DairyTrace provides a one-stop-shop!
Who can I talk to if I have questions?
Our bilingual customer service agents can answer your questions. Call DairyTrace Customer Services at 1-866-55-TRACE (1-866-558-7223) or send an email to info@DairyTrace.ca.
