As of Dec. 26, eight states have registered at least 50% of their total livestock premises under the National Animal Identification System. Wisconsin leads the way with almost 54,000 premises (105%), followed by Idaho with 95.5%, Indiana with 70.2%, Utah with 64.8%, Pennsylvania with 62.1%, North Dakota with 56%, Michigan 55.7%, and New York at 51.8%. To view results for all states, click here: beef-mag.com/cowcalfweekly/nais-2006-year-end-report.

Based on census data, USDA estimates there are 1,433,582 livestock premises in the U.S. USDA revised the figure last fall from 2.1 million after removing duplications of operations with more than one livestock species. New census data will be available this year, Ed Curlett, public affairs director for USDA's Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, tells BEEF Cow-Calf Weekly. He says Wisconsin has recorded a 105.1% premises registration record because there are more actual premises than indicated by the current estimate, which is based on five-year-old census data.

Among states with the most premises registered, Wisconsin again led the way with 53,989, followed by Pennsylvania with 26,255, Indiana with 24,428, Texas with 23,204, and Idaho with 17,912.

States with the lowest percentage of registered premises are led by Connecticut at 0.6%, Rhode Island at 1%, New Hampshire at 1.6%, Montana at 3.8%, and MIssissippi at 4.1%.

Animal owners can register their premises online at: animalid.aphis.usda.gov/nais/premises_id/register.shtml, or by phone, or mail, with their state, tribe, or territorial animal-health authority.
-- Joe Roybal