1. A device for providing information about a plurality of animals as they move through an animal passage, the device comprising: a sensor device that senses three-dimensional image data about an animal in the animal passage; and a processor for receiving the three-dimensional image data from the sensor device wherein the processor includes a direct identification device for comparing three-dimensional images produced using the three-dimensional image data from the sensor device to stored historical data; and an evaluation device for processing the three-dimensional image data from the sensor device to distinguish individual animals in the animal passage using the three-dimensional image data and to emit a counter pulse corresponding to the individual animal.