Identification of swine individuals and construction of traceability system under free-range pig-rearing system

In order to meet the requirements of government supervision of pork production safety as well as consumer's right to know what they buy and to protect the public safety of pork food, animal identification, intelligent PDA mobile inquiring and reading, GPRS, internet and other information technologies were adopted, and a data collection method was uploaded to set up pigs farming files under free-range pig-rearing system. Related metadata structures and its mobile database was designed, and a mobile PDA embedded system was developed to collect pig individual information. And the information was uploaded into the remote central database. Finally, a mobile link with a specific website was realized. The formed embedded PDA could identify both a special swine bar ear tags appointed by Ministry of Agriculture of China and a general data-matrix bar ear tags was designed and it could record all of input data including feed types, feed additives, animal drugs and even some forbidden medicines and submit them to the oriented database through GPRS. At the same time, the remote central database could be maintained by mobile PDA and GPRS, and finally reach the aim of pork tracking from its origin to consumption and its tracing through turn-over direction. A feasible technology solution was suggested how to set up network electronical swine feeding data files involved swine separated mode based on farmers. The solution was proved practical through its application in the Tianjin’s pork quality traceability system construction. Although some individual techniques have some adverse effects on the system running such as GPRS transmitting speed now, these will be resolved with the development of communication technology. The full implementation of this solution around China will supply technical supports in guaranteeing the quality and safety of pork production supervision and meet the demand of consumers.