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Documentation · Actions & Quick Access · Scan Ear Tag

Scan Ear Tag

Recognise ear tags with the camera: how to use the OCR scan function to identify animals quickly and trigger actions.

Last updated · February 19, 2026· 1 min read

Overview

The ear-tag scan function recognises ear-tag numbers automatically using your phone camera. Instead of typing a long number, you simply point the camera at the ear tag — Herdy reads the number and finds the matching animal. This saves time and prevents typing errors.

How scanning works

Step by step

  1. Open the Actions area and tap Scan ear tag. You will also find a scan button (floating camera icon) in the animal list.
  2. Your phone camera opens automatically.
  3. Point the camera at the animal's ear tag.
  4. Herdy analyses the image using optical character recognition (OCR) and reads the number.
  5. Once the number has been recognised, Detected appears together with the text that was read.
  6. Check that the recognised number is correct.
  7. Confirm with Apply or tap Scan again if the number was not read correctly.

After a successful scan

When Herdy has recognised the ear-tag number, it automatically searches your herd for the matching animal. Depending on the result, you will see different options:

Animal found

If the animal is in your herd, a quick-action menu appears with the following options:

  • View animal — Opens the full animal profile with all details
  • Record treatment — Launches the treatment form directly for this animal
  • Record weight — Starts weight recording for this animal
  • Health event — Logs a health event (e.g. hoof trimming, castration)

This lets you take an action immediately after scanning without having to search for the animal first.

Animal not found

If no animal with the recognised number is in your herd, Herdy offers you the option to create a new animal with that ear tag. This is useful, for example, when you want to register a newly purchased animal.

Manual entry as an alternative

If the camera cannot read the ear tag — for example because the tag is dirty, damaged, or difficult to access — you can enter the number manually:

  1. Tap Enter manually (below the camera view)
  2. Enter the ear-tag number using the keyboard
  3. Tap Search

Herdy then searches for the animal in exactly the same way as after a scan.

Requirements

For the scan function to work, you need:

  • Camera permission — The first time you use it, your browser will ask whether Herdy may access the camera. Please allow access. Without this permission the camera cannot be used.
  • Internet connection — The character recognition (OCR) requires an active internet connection because processing happens server-side.

If camera permission was previously denied, you can re-enable it in your browser settings.

Tips for best results

The quality of recognition depends on several factors. Keep the following points in mind:

  • Hold steady — Keep the camera as still as possible and close to the ear tag. A distance of about 10 to 15 cm is ideal.
  • Good lighting — With sufficient light, OCR recognises characters much more reliably. Avoid strong shadows or backlighting.
  • Clean ear tag — Dirty or heavily weathered tags are harder to read. Wipe the tag briefly if needed.
  • Full text in frame — Make sure the complete number is visible in the camera view. Cropped characters cannot be read.

Tip: If a scan does not succeed on the first attempt, slightly change the angle or distance. A small adjustment is often enough for the number to be recognised immediately. If it still does not work, use manual entry — it is just as quick.