Unique 12-digit saffron cards will be issued to about four million stray cattle in Madhya Pradesh to distinguish them from domestic animals and help the government manage them better.
Stray livestock were responsible for 237 road accidents, resulting in 94 deaths and 133 injuries, according to data from the State Crime Record Bureau for 2024 and 2025. Farmers have complained that stray cattle are damaging crops, especially during the kharif season.
The tags are intended to bring stray livestock under the unique animal identification. “We have been facing difficulties in scanning the marks on the cattle. The new color will make identification easier. The state has asked the Center to distinguish colors in the marks, and approval has been obtained in principle,” Additional Chief Secretary (Animal Husbandry) Umakant Umrao said.
A second official said the new tags will be issued as part of the Bharat Pashodan Project, an initiative under the National Digital Livestock Mission to digitize livestock in the country. “Every stray or destitute cow living in the shelters will be assigned a unique 12-digit saffron tag. This distinction will help livestock hunting teams quickly distinguish between pets and stray animals.”
Farmer leader Kedar Sirohi welcomed the move and said the government should focus on preventing stray cattle from damaging crops. “The color of the mark might be different, but I still have my doubts.”
As many as 78,153 stray cattle were seized and impounded in the state in 2025, with owners paying more than that. $25.58 lakh in fines, according to data presented in the legislature in February.
Abandonment of domestic livestock is prohibited and can result in a fine under the Cow Slaughter Prohibition Act 2004. In 2023, the Municipal Corporations Act 1956 was amended to allow the detention of livestock with a fine of $200 pounds for the first violation $500 per second, and $1000 for the third. Livestock owners must pay $150 per day to cover feeding expenses.
