The present invention relates to a method for achieving a marking of cattle, especially pigs, which marking may be identified automatically.

The need of more rationalization within the field of pig breeding and pork production has brought about a search for new methods, for example for individual feeding and a closer watch of the growth of the pigs. Such methods require in their turn an individual and automatic identification of the pigs. Organizations within this field have expressed a desire about a life-long marking of the pigs in order to be able to follow the feeding result from different producers and also to be able to control the health of the pigs. One desire is consequently a method for marking pigs at an early stage of the feeding in such a way that the pigs may be identified during their whole lifetime which marking also is readable on each of the halves of the pig after slaughter.

Within the cattle trade automatic individual identification by means of transponders fastened to the neck of the animal is well known. Such mechanic devices fastened on the animal are however less suitable for pigs partly due to the bodily constitution of the pigs and partly to the fact that pigs are raised in groups in relatively narrow spaces which means that the risk that members in the group remove the devices from each other is obvious. Traditional methods of marking such as branding, tattooing etc. are therefore preferable.

The purpose of the invention is a method of achieving a robust, lifelong marking of cattle, which is machine readable for example when the animal is weighed or takes a certain position during the feeding.

This purpose is reached by way of a method, which is mainly characterized in that a marking code is applied to the skin of the animal by way of an. optional method, which may be chemical, physical or mechanical, which marking code comprises a number of bands located on certain relative distances from each other and/or exhibits certain relative dimensions. In this way a marking code is obtained which remains unchanged during the growth of the animal and is based on the order of the bands in combina-tion with the said relative distances and/or the said relative dimensions.

By basing the marking code on the relative distance between a number of bands and/or the width, length or area of the bands it is ascertained that the marking code is the same even when the animal has grown considerably such that the areas of the skin where the marking code is applied have increased in size. The method of applying the bands on the skin depends on the chosen method of reading the marking. Some examples are marking by means of colour or tattooing combined with a photometric reading, bands comprising magnetic material combined with a magnetic reading, mechanical marking and a sensoric reading and so on.

In order to make it possible to identify the separate halves of the body also after slaughter, the same marking code should be applied on the both halves. According to a certain embodiment of the invention the band of the marking code may be applied at a right angle to the longitudinal direction of the animal such that each band has a part on each side of the backbone. In this way it is possible to identify the separate halves of the body while the total marking code area of the both halves facilitates identifying the living animal for example as it moves over a weighing machine.