What Traceability Means

Traceability is the complete, permanent, and verifiable record of everything significant that happens to an animal throughout its entire lifetime. This spans from birth to death, from acquisition to sale, from the first observation to the final disposition.

Think of it as a digital passport. It follows the animal everywhere. It documents every important moment, every treatment, every movement, every inspection.

This permanent record serves multiple purposes:

• Regulatory compliance
• Food safety
• Disease investigation
• Ownership verification
• Research integrity
• Consumer transparency

Unlike regular records that can be edited, lost, or disputed, traceability records in Kora are designed to be tamper-evident. They are also independently verifiable.

When someone asks "where did this animal come from?" or "what treatments did it receive?" or "where has it been?", traceability provides authoritative, trustworthy answers.

The Unique Lifetime Identifier

Every animal in Kora receives a globally unique traceability chain identifier. This follows them throughout life.

Format Example: KEN-FRM-2025-000001

Breaking this down:

• KEN: Country code (Kenya in this example)
• FRM: Organisation code (your farm or facility)
• 2025: Year the chain was created
• 000001: Sequential number ensuring uniqueness

This identifier is permanent. Even if the animal changes ownership, moves between facilities, or crosses international borders, this identifier remains constant. It is recognisable worldwide.

Why this matters:

When you export an animal, international buyers and regulators can reference this single identifier. They can access the complete verified history.

When investigating disease outbreaks, authorities can trace movements across multiple properties. They use consistent identifiers.

When consumers scan a QR code on their food, this identifier links to the source animal's complete, verified story.

What Gets Recorded Automatically

Kora tracks over 50 different types of significant events. These are organised into categories:

Lifecycle Events

• Birth: When and where the animal was born
• Death: Natural death, euthanasia, or slaughter
• Disposal: How remains were handled

Identification Events

• Initial Identification: First RFID tag, ear tag, or microchip
• Identifier Added: Additional tags or identification methods
• Identifier Replaced: When tags are lost and replaced
• Identifier Removed: Tag removal with documentation

Movement Events

• Movement: Every location change, internal or external
• Import: Entry from another country
• Export: Departure to another country
• Quarantine: Isolation for disease control
• Quarantine Release: Return to normal status

Health Events

• Health Check: Routine wellness assessments
• Vaccination: Every vaccine administered
• Treatment: Medical interventions and medications
• Surgery: Surgical procedures
• Diagnosis: Disease or condition identification
• Test Result: Laboratory or diagnostic testing

Breeding Events

• Mating: Natural breeding documented
• Artificial Insemination: AI procedures
• Pregnancy Confirmed: Pregnancy verification
• Birth Given: When this animal gives birth
• Weaning: Offspring separation

Ownership Events

• Ownership Transfer: Sale or permanent transfer
• Custody Change: Temporary custody without ownership
• Loan: Breeding loans or research transfers
• Return: Return from loan or custody

Compliance Events

• Inspection: Government or third-party inspections
• Certification: Organic, welfare, or other certifications
• Permit Issued: Export, import, or movement permits
• Permit Expired: Permit expiration documented
• Compliance Violation: Documented violations with remediation

Welfare Events

• Welfare Assessment: Five-domain welfare scoring
• Behavioural Observation: Significant behaviour patterns
• Environmental Change: Habitat or housing improvements

Each event records:

• What happened (event type)
• When it happened (precise date and time)
• Where it happened (location with GPS coordinates if available)
• Who recorded it (user identification)
• Why it happened (context and notes)
• Evidence (photos, documents, certificates attached)

Tamper-Evident Security

Every traceability event is cryptographically secured using a process called hashing. Without getting technical, here is what this means in practice:

Each event creates a unique digital fingerprint. If anyone tries to change the event later (even changing a single letter), the fingerprint changes completely. This makes the tampering immediately obvious.

Events are chained together. Each new event includes the fingerprint of the previous event. This creates an unbreakable chain. If you alter event #5, all fingerprints from event #6 onward become invalid.

Why this matters:

If someone claims "this animal never received antibiotics," you can show the complete, verified record. This proves treatment occurred on specific dates with specific medications. The cryptographic security makes the records trustworthy in legal disputes, regulatory audits, or export certification.

For high-value animals, endangered species, or international trade, this tamper-evident security provides confidence. It proves records are authentic and complete.

Multi-Stakeholder Access

Traceability chains can be shared with multiple authorised parties. Each has appropriate access levels:

Read-Only Access:

• Buyers reviewing an animal's health history before purchase
• Consumers verifying food source and welfare standards
• Researchers accessing anonymised data for studies

Add Events:

• Veterinarians documenting treatments across properties
• Inspectors recording compliance checks
• Transport operators logging movements

Modify Events:

• Correcting accidental data entry errors (with audit trail of corrections)
• Adding missing documentation to historical events

Full Control:

• Original owner managing the complete chain
• Transferring ownership with complete history handoff

Specialised Access:

• Veterinarian Access: Medical records across all owners
• Regulator Access: Compliance and food safety verification
• Researcher Access: Scientific data for approved studies

This multi-stakeholder approach means an animal's traceability chain can follow them through their entire life. This works even as ownership changes, facilities change, or countries change.

Standards Compliance

Kora's traceability system complies with major international and regional standards:

ISO 11784/11785: International standards for radio frequency identification (RFID) of animals

ICAR: International Committee for Animal Recording standards for livestock identification

GS1 EPCIS: Electronic Product Code Information Services for supply chain traceability

OIE: World Organisation for Animal Health guidelines for animal identification and traceability

EU TRACES: European Union Trade Control and Expert System for animal movements

USDA APHIS: United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service requirements

NLIS: National Livestock Identification System (Australia)

Why standards matter:

When you export animals or animal products, importing countries require proof of compliance with their standards. Kora's built-in compliance with multiple international standards means your traceability records are already formatted correctly. They work for regulatory submission, export certification, and international trade.

Standards compliance also enables data sharing between different systems. Your Kora traceability data can integrate with government databases, international studbooks, or buyer verification systems.

Blockchain Integration (Optional)

For maximum trust and permanence, critical events can optionally be recorded on public or private blockchain networks.

What this means in simple terms:

Blockchain is like a public ledger. Thousands of computers maintain it together. Once something is recorded on the blockchain, it becomes permanent. It is visible to anyone who wants to verify it. No single person or organisation can alter blockchain records, even if they wanted to.

When blockchain matters:

High-value endangered species: Proof of legal acquisition and breeding for CITES compliance. Permanently recorded where poachers, smugglers, or corrupt officials cannot alter it.

International meat export: Importing countries can verify that meat comes from animals meeting their health and welfare standards. Records cannot be falsified.

Premium certified products: Consumers paying extra for organic, grass-fed, or humanely-raised products can independently verify claims. They use permanent blockchain records.

Conservation breeding: Genetic pedigrees for endangered species recorded permanently. This ensures breeding programmes maintain genetic diversity across generations and institutions.

Research integrity: Scientific studies involving animals can prove complete documentation of care. This ensures research meets ethical standards.

Not every event needs blockchain recording. It is reserved for critical events where permanent, third-party verifiable proof provides significant value. Regular events use cryptographic security within Kora. This is sufficient for most purposes.

What Traceability Enables Across Contexts

Food Safety and Supply Chain Transparency

The Challenge: A consumer buys beef and wants to know it comes from healthy, responsibly-raised cattle.

Traceability Solution:

The beef package has a QR code. This links to the source animal's complete verified history:

• Born on Valley View Farm, March 15, 2022
• Raised on pasture (GPS coordinates of grazing areas documented)
• Vaccinated according to schedule (dates and vaccines listed)
• Treated once for minor hoof infection (antibiotic used, withdrawal period observed)
• Moved to processing facility March 1, 2025
• Health certificate issued by licensed veterinarian
• No antibiotics administered in final 90 days (withdrawal compliance verified)

The consumer can independently verify these claims. The cryptographic security means the farmer cannot retroactively alter the antibiotic records. Trust is established through transparency.

Rapid Recall Response:

When contamination is detected in processed meat, traceability allows instant identification. You can identify all animals from the affected batch, all farms that supplied them, and all products derived from them. What used to take weeks of manual investigation now happens in minutes.

Wildlife Conservation and Research

The Challenge: A conservation programme coordinates breeding for endangered black rhinos across multiple countries. Genetic diversity must be maintained. However, animals move between facilities, and keeping accurate pedigrees is difficult.

Traceability Solution:

• Each rhino has a lifetime identifier following them through all transfers
• Birth records link to maternal and paternal chains, building complete pedigrees
• GPS collar data automatically creates movement events
• Health assessments document welfare throughout life
• When rhino #12 is recommended for breeding with rhino #27 at a different facility, genetic analysis confirms they are not closely related (inbreeding coefficient calculated from complete pedigree)
• Transfer between facilities includes complete health history
• Release to wild creates permanent record of when and where
• Post-release monitoring updates the same traceability chain

Research Integrity:

Scientists studying rhino behaviour can prove their study animals received consistent care meeting ethical standards. They have complete documentation of interventions.

Anti-Poaching:

If a rhino is poached, the traceability chain helps prove which animal was killed, who owned it, and what its conservation value was. This supports criminal prosecution and insurance claims.

Regulatory Compliance and Export

The Challenge: A farmer wants to export 50 cattle to another country. The importing country requires proof that animals:

• Were born in country of origin (not imported from disease-risk areas)
• Received specific vaccinations
• Were tested for certain diseases
• Were never treated with banned substances
• Spent required quarantine period

Traceability Solution:

• Complete birth records prove origin
• Vaccination events with batch numbers demonstrate compliance
• Test results are attached to health events
• Treatment records show all medications (none banned)
• Quarantine events document isolation period
• All this data exports in format required by importing country
• Cryptographic hashes prove records were not altered
• Veterinary authority can verify chains before issuing export permits

What used to require weeks of manually gathering records from multiple sources now happens automatically. Export certification becomes straightforward rather than stressful.

Ownership Verification and Theft Prevention

The Challenge: High-value animals (show horses, rare breeds, endangered species) are sometimes stolen. Proving ownership after theft can be difficult if tags are removed.

Traceability Solution:

• Complete ownership chain from birth
• DNA profiles recorded as traceability events
• Photos attached to identification events
• Movement history shows legitimate transfers
• Even if physical tags are removed, DNA matching proves identity
• Ownership transfers require authorisation from current owner
• Attempted unauthorised transfers trigger alerts

Dispute Resolution:

When ownership is disputed, the cryptographically-secured traceability chain provides authoritative evidence. It shows legitimate ownership and transfers.

Disease Outbreak Investigation

The Challenge: A veterinarian diagnoses a highly contagious disease. Which animals were exposed? Where did the disease come from? Where might it spread?

Traceability Solution:

• Movement events show all animals that shared locations with infected animal in past 30 days
• Ownership transfers identify which farms received animals from infected property
• Import events reveal if animal came from disease-risk area
• Treatment records show if early symptoms were observed but not diagnosed
• Complete movement mapping enables targeted quarantine
• Contact tracing happens automatically across multiple properties

This rapid investigation can prevent outbreak spread. It can save entire herds.

Certified Organic and Premium Markets

The Challenge: Consumers pay premium prices for certified organic, grass-fed, or humanely-raised animal products. How can they trust these claims?

Traceability Solution:

• Feed records document organic feed exclusively (no conventional feed events)
• Location events prove pasture-based raising (GPS coordinates verify outdoor access)
• Treatment records show no prohibited substances
• Welfare assessments document humane conditions
• Certification events record third-party organic audits
• All events are tamper-evident and verifiable

Farmers can command premium prices because buyers can independently verify claims. Trust drives market access.

International Breeding Programmes

The Challenge: Zoos coordinating Species Survival Plans need to track animals across institutions worldwide. They must maintain accurate pedigrees and prevent inbreeding.

Traceability Solution:

• Global unique identifiers enable tracking across countries and facilities
• Maternal and paternal chain links build complete pedigrees
• Genetic test results attach to chains
• Breeding recommendations based on verified genetic diversity
• Transfer events document movements between institutions
• All participating zoos access the same verified data
• Studbook coordinators can audit complete breeding history

Conservation Reintroduction Programmes

The Challenge: Wildlife released to the wild needs monitoring to assess reintroduction success. Did captive-bred animals survive? Did they reproduce? Did they integrate with wild populations?

Traceability Solution:

• Pre-release: Complete captive history proves genetic fitness
• Release event: GPS coordinates and date documented
• Post-release: GPS collar data creates automatic movement events
• Mortality: Death event documents cause (predation, disease, natural)
• Reproduction: Birth events (if observed) link offspring to released parent
• Success measurement: Traceability chains document which bloodlines succeeded

This data informs future reintroduction strategies. It improves conservation outcomes.

Documents and Evidence

Every traceability event can have attached documentation:

Document Types:

• Birth certificates
• Health certificates
• Vaccination records
• Movement permits
• Export/import permits
• CITES permits (endangered species)
• Ownership certificates
• Death certificates
• Genetic reports
• Inspection reports
• Photos and videos
• Laboratory test results

These documents become permanent parts of the traceability chain. They are cryptographically secured alongside the events they support.

Example:

An export health certificate issued by a veterinarian is attached to an Export event. Years later, if questions arise about the export's legitimacy, the original certificate is available. Its integrity is verified. Its authenticity is confirmed.

Privacy and Access Control

Not all traceability information needs to be public. Kora supports four privacy levels:

Public: Fully public chain (wildlife conservation, consumer transparency)

Protected: Basic info public, sensitive details restricted (commercial breeding programmes)

Private: Only authorised users (most livestock operations)

Confidential: Special access only (research, law enforcement, legal disputes)

Different stakeholders can have different access levels to the same chain. A consumer might see basic origin and welfare data. A veterinarian sees complete medical history. A regulator sees compliance documentation.

Verification and Authority

Traceability chains can be officially verified by authorised parties:

Veterinary Verification: Licensed veterinarian confirms health information accuracy

Regulatory Verification: Government authority confirms compliance

Third-Party Audit: Organic certifier or welfare auditor confirms standards

Laboratory Verification: Testing laboratory confirms diagnostic results

Verified events carry additional trust. They meet requirements for export certification, premium markets, or legal proceedings.

Transfer of Ownership With History

When you sell an animal, the buyer receives the complete traceability chain with verified history. They can review:

• Health history (chronic conditions, past treatments)
• Genetic background (pedigree, breeding value)
• Behavioural notes (temperament, training)
• Production history (milk output, reproductive success)

This transparency improves fair pricing. Buyers pay what the animal is genuinely worth based on complete information.

It also improves animal welfare. New owners understand the animal's needs, medical history, and care requirements from day one.

For conservation transfers, breeding loans, or research animals, complete history transfer ensures continuity of care across institutional boundaries.

Why Traceability Matters Everywhere

Whether you are managing:

• Commercial livestock for food production
• Endangered species for conservation
• Research animals for scientific studies
• High-value breeding stock for genetic improvement
• Wildlife populations for ecological monitoring
• Zoo collections for education and conservation
• Community herds for rural livelihoods

Complete, verifiable, permanent records provide value:

Trust: Buyers, regulators, consumers, and partners trust verified records

Access: Premium markets, export opportunities, and research funding require documentation

Protection: Against theft, fraud, ownership disputes, and false claims

Investigation: Disease outbreaks, welfare concerns, and compliance issues are rapidly resolved

Learning: Patterns emerge from complete histories, improving future decisions

Compliance: Regulatory requirements are met automatically, not through scrambling before audits

Transparency: Demonstrable proof of responsible stewardship builds reputation and market value