What is the Key Code and how do we come up with it?  The Key Code comes from the RFID (Radio Frequency Identification Device) ear tag that is placed in the animal’s ear.  The tag is a small device about the size of a quarter.  – See Photo Below -  The ear tag has a very small microchip and several feet of copper wire antenna molded into the tag.  The microchip is coded with a 15 digit number.  This number stays with that ear tag for life and a long as the ear tag stays in the animal, that animal is identified.  The tag can be read by a RFID reading device and this device can be hooked to a computer thereby collecting data on this animal and tag.  We use these tags to track our animals, monitor their growth, and anything else that we can monitor with these tags.  The 15 digit number is unique to that animal and cannot be duplicated – therefore giving each animal it’s own identity for it’s entire life.