A computer-implemented method and system for tracking near-field communication (NFC)-enabled animals with a portable computing device (PCD) (i.e. mobile phone) may include providing an NFC-tag comprising memory in which the memory contains a unique identifier. The NFC-tag may be coupled to an animal and then the NFC-tag may be scanned with the PCD. A tag identification server may determine if data from the NFC-tag exists in a database and then transmits an animal production facility identifier and one or more animal records associated with data from the NFC-tag from the tag identification server if the data from the NFC-tag exists in the database. Access to a secure memory area on the portable computing device containing a complete set of animal records for an entire animal facility may be granted if the software identifier matches the animal production facility identifier received from the tag identification server.