Livestock farmers will start receiving official cattle ear tags with nine-digit identification numbers later this year.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Water and Land Reform and the Livestock and Livestock Products Board (LLPB) say the change will not affect how farmers identify or manage their animals.
Farmers would not have to remove or replace the ear tags already on their cattle.
The only change is the numbering format. New ear tags will carry a nine-digit unique identification number instead of the current eight-digit number.
The ministry and the LLPB say the current supply of unique identification numbers is close to being exhausted.
The ministry says existing ear tags will remain valid, and only newly purchased tags will include the additional digit.
The Namibian Livestock Identification and Traceability System has already been updated to support the new numbering system.
