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System and method for recycling identification tags

Abstract

A recycling system particularly useful for using, sorting and reusing large quantities of animal identification tags for use by producers, feedlots and packing plants is described. In one aspect of the invention, a plurality of unsorted, previously used and cleaned identification tags are passed through a tag aligner that aligns the tags in series. The aligned tags are fed to a tag sorter that includes a plurality of sorting bins for storing the sorted tags. A tag reader reads the identification tags and passes identification information stored on the tags to a controller. The controller analyzes the identification information from the tags and determines in which one of the sorting bins each tag should be stored. When each tag is adjacent the proper sorting bin, the controller signals the sorter to eject the tag into such bin. After sorting, the tags are redistributed to their original users for reuse. After reuse by a producer and/or feedlot and packing plant, the cleaning, sorting and redistribution process is repeated. The system and method provides an economical and practical way to correlate live animal data and carcass data for large numbers of animals on an individual animal basis.