Abstract: 【Objective】To verify the feasibility of tracing cattle life history using carbon isotopic analysis in cattle tail hair.【Method】The experiment of cattle model were designed by changing the feeds composition, the changed trends of δ13C values in different segment of cattle tail hair with the change of feeds composition were analyzed, and the relation of carbon isotope composition between cattle tail hair, feeds and individual were analyzed. 【Results】There was very significant difference between carbon isotopic composition in different cattle tail hair segment with the feeds composition changed, and the feeds have more effects on carbon isotopic composition of cattle tail hair than individual. The significant correlations were showed between δ13C values of cattle tail hair segment and feeds, and they were significantly correlated with the proportion of C4 plant of feeds, but there were no significant correlations between δ13C values of whole cattle tail hair and feeds, which indicated that the carbon isotopic composition of every segment of hair could reflect the feeds information when it was produced, and cattle tail hair can be regarded as an isotopic archives recording feeds changes. 【Conclusion】The cattle life history could be traced by carbon isotopic fingerprint analysis in cattle tail hair.

Key words: Cattle, cattle tail hair, traceability, stable carbon isotope