The animal ID business is heating up and Schering-Plough’s Global Animal Management division looks like it’s got a lead in the race.

Global Animal Management, Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Schering-Plough Animal Health, announced today the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s (USDA) Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service has named the company as an interim animal tracking database participant for the National Animal Identification System (NAIS). USDA administered an independent review of Global Animal Management’s Animal Tracker program, and has reported the system meets all requirements for participation in the interim/development phase.

Global Animal Management will utilize its Animal Tracker program to feed data into the USDA’s information system when animal health officials are responding to an animal disease. This will allow those beef and dairy producers already using the company’s TRI-MERIT™ age, process and source verification program to easily become participants in the animal tracking component of the NAIS when they choose to do so. Since the NAIS is a voluntary program, TRI-MERIT users will decide if they want their animals’ movement records considered for inclusion on a disease traceback investigation. USDA will only request movement records from participating ATDs when an animal disease of concern has been confirmed.

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