Identification Flashcards
How to tell animals apart
Colouration/markings/wells
Name
Breed
Behaviour (energetic/noisy etc)
Microchips
Age
Collars/tags
Size
Nicks/scars/abnormalities
What methods are used to make sure animals registered to us
Ear tags/tags
Passports
Branding (hot and freeze)
Tattooing
Microchips
Fin clip (fish)
Considerations when marking/taggign animals
Placement (hindrance/fits well)
Pain
Correct details/can be changed easily
Can break easily (head collars)
Governing body for cats
The Governing council of the Cat Fancy - aims to look at breed standards and provide information and advice for owners and reputable breeders
Top 10 cat breeds
British shorthair
Bengal
Siamese
Maine coon
Persian
Ragdoll
Russian blue
Scottish fold
Savannah cat
Sphynx
Government body for dogs
Kennel club - designed to look at breed standards and reputable breeding
Kennel club groups
Terrier
Working (Rottweiler)
Gun dogs/sporting (spaniel)
Toy (chihuahua)
Pastoral/herding (collie)
Hounds (basset)
Utility (Dalmatian)
How many horse breeds
300
How are horses grouped
By purpose (draught/thoroughbreds etc)
Bird classification
Psittaciformes (parrots/mackaws)
Passseriformes (budgies/canaries)
Columbiformes (pigeon/dove)
Falconiformes (raptors birds of prey)
Strigiformes (night birds-owls)
Galliformes (pheasants/fowls/chickens)
Anseriformes (water birds)
3 main groups of bird colours
Carotenoids - from plant materials (yellow/orange/red/blue/green)
Melanins - browns/blacks
Porphyrines - from amino acid produce all colours
Structural colours in birds
Refraction from light by proteins in feathers
Iridescent feathers in birds
Works like a prism splitting the light into different components
What should dog tags have on (legality)
Owners name
Address (postcode)
Telephone number (optional)
Don’t put dogs name
Fine for dog not wearing tag
Upto £5000
Exception for not wearing tags
Service dogs
Police dog/working dogs
Hounds
Gundogs
Race greyhounds
Sheep dogs
Ear tags
Used on farm animal
Legal requirements
Vet surgeon can allow exemption
Enables biosecurity
Regs of DEFRA
Who needs to be microchipped
Dogs, horses, exotics, cats (10th June 2024 legally)
What age should dog be microchipped
8 weeks - breeders adress
Stray - rescue adress
What age should horse be microchipped
6 months - breeders adress
Fine for no microchip (dog)
£500 (21days grace to get tag and not be charged)
Placement of microchip
Scruff of neck (cats/dogs/rodents)
Left side of neck - middle 3rd nuchae ligament (horse)
Left pectoral muscle (bird)
Is a microchip proof of ownership
No
Tattooing placements
Lips on horses
Ears on dogs
Can be removed / amputated
Freeze branding
Permanent unique mark on skin
Not that painful?
Freezes hair follicules to change/damage colour
Hot branding (mostly banned)
Red hot irons placed on skin to burn/scar it
Unique and permanent
Cattle and horses
Painful
Exmoor ponies on hindquarter
Reasons for freeze branding
Used as a deterrent to thieves as permanent marking cannot be removed
Horse passport regulations revoked
The equine identification regulations 2018
All horses, ponies and donkeys must has a horse passport
Make sure horses that have been treated with certain medication don’t go into food intended for humans
When should horse passport be produced
Owner must have passport on them at all times when with the animal
May have to show to trading standard inspector or animal health officer
Can be fined upto £5000 if Passover not valid
Where is an animals genetic code found
In their DNA (deoxyribonucleic acid)
A long double helix molecule present in every living cell
Contains thousands of genes
Genes
Provide specific DNA code or sequence that leads to inherited characteristics which are passed to offspring via reproduction
Chromosomes
Tightly bound unit of DNA
Contain hundreds of thousands ofgenes
Found in pairs within cells known as alleles (2separate copies of each gene)
How many chromosomes does a horse have
64 (32 pairs)
How many chromosomes does a dog have
78 (39 pairs)
How many chromosomes does a cat have
38 (19 pairs)
How many chromosomes does a rabbit have
44 (22 pairs)
What is the exception to the rule regarding paired chromosomes
Sperm and egg cells
Each cell only gets one copy of each chromosome (haploid cells)
Together they make a diploid cell
Dominant and recessive alleles
Dominant = single copy of that allele will express the trait (autosomal dominant)
Recessive = both alleles must be in the same order for that trait to be observed (autosomal recessive)
What is a mutation
Errors that occur during processes of DNA replication
May have negative, positive or no effect
DNA testing - where from
Cheek swabbing
Blood sample
Hair follicle
Why we DNA Test
Parentage analysis
Breed strategies and variations -Desirable characteristic
Hereditary diseases
Identification of unwanted genes
Sexing for exotics
Blood typing why
Correct match for blood transfusions
Cats - mismatch could be fatal
Dogs - can give one non typed transfusion safely but second must be a blood match
Horses - not routinely typed
When is the only time when it is acceptable to travel a horse without a passport
Travelling to the vets for emergency treatment
Can a horse still be treated by vets if section XI on the passport has been signed stating the horse is intended for human consumption
Yes but withdrawal periods must be adhered to and all drugs must be records in medicines book
Equine passport requirements
Diagram - markings
Section XI - drugs list for food chain
What is signified by a black cross on horse passport
Whorls (where hair grows from)
What is signified by a black/red arrow on horse passport
Scars (red pen used if horse is white)
What is signified by a black triangle on horse passport
Prophets thumb- dent
What is signified by a red border/solid line with hatching on horse passport
White hair
What is signified by thick black lines on horse passport
Zebra marks
What is signified by solid red on horse passport
White skin or hooves
Drawing of the horse is outlined in what colour on passport
Black unless the horse is white
Different face markings on a horse
Star
Stripe
Blaze
Star, stripe, snip
Snip
Bald face/white face
Star and stripe
Different leg markings on horse
Coronet
Pastern
Sock
Half stocking
Stocking
Outside heel white extending
Outside heel
Inside heel
