New York Consolidated Laws, Agriculture and Markets Law - AGM § 90-c. Prohibitions

1. It shall be unlawful for any person to purchase, deal in, sell, or rescue cattle, swine, horses, cervids, camelids, sheep, goats or poultry;  to operate or conduct an auction where cattle, swine, horses, cervids, camelids, sheep, goats or poultry are sold;  or to transport poultry, unless such dealer, auctioneer, poultry transporter, or rescue holds a domestic animal health permit granted by the commissioner.

2. No person who holds or is required to hold a domestic animal health permit shall purchase, sell, rescue, or otherwise deal in cattle, cervids, swine, camelids, sheep or goats unless and until an ear tag is securely affixed to the ear of such animal, unless such animal is otherwise identified by a registration number, distinctive tattoo, electronic identification device or some other unique permanent mark or, for an animal that is moved directly to slaughter, an official backtag.

3. No person shall deface, obliterate or remove an official ear tag or other identification mark affixed to an animal under their control, or shall affix an official ear tag to the ear of an animal that has previously been affixed to the ear of another animal.