Can’t get tag in bull

[valtraman]

I have a bull that was meant to go cast . He needed a replacement tag . Put him I crush tried to tag him but his ears are so thick I can’t get tag in and it broke resulting in only half stuck in ear not very well. Both ears the same . Have actually decided I’m going to keep him for a spare over summer but what u meant to do with a bull u can’t tag? Crazy

 

[M-J-G]

What kind of tags?
The only ones I've had bother with doing that were Dalton.

 

[beef 1]

Drill a hole in each tag and use a cable tie thru the hole in his ear

 

[milkloss]

Although you shouldn't do it: didn't he already have tag holes in his ear?

 

[JSmith]

Leather punch to make pilot hole, same procedure as tagging but without the tag, when you put tag in holes already there so your only piercing ear once anyway! Don’t need a big hole either so shouldn’t be an issue

 

[M-J-G]

Drill a hole in each tag and use a cable tie thru the hole in his ear

And get a phone call from the meat plant telling you he's been thrown in a skip
?

 

[JSmith]

Although you shouldn't do it: didn't he already have tag holes in his ear?

If he’s already got a hole from previous tag you can’t put the replacement in it?? Why’s that?

 

[valtraman]

One ear is damaged as tagged ripped out other has a half tag in. Shearwell rags I use just looked and could order replacement metal tags so that could work I suppose

 

[milkloss]

If he’s already got a hole from previous tag you can’t put the replacement in it?? Why’s that?

many do, including me, but the tag companies say retention isn't good if you use an old hole. One of my many bugbears regarding tagging is that some of our old beef cows would have more holes than ear if they had had replacements when they should.

 

[milkloss]

One ear is damaged as tagged ripped out other has a half tag in. Shearwell rags I use just looked and could order replacement metal tags so that could work I suppose

have you got a leather punch like you use for belts?

 

[JSmith]

Do you find particular cows always need a replacement more than others? We used to use two plastic but have moved to a metal an one plastic for the last three years, retention is fantastic with the metal, think we’ve only had one heifer lose a metal so far! Any of the older problem tag shedders we now replace with metal as well

 

[JP1]

What tagging pliers are you using ? I had this once and ended up filing the stops off on the handles so they bit a bit tighter

 

[Pistonbroke]

Poke a hole through with an injection needle and then follow it through

 

[milkloss]

Do you find particular cows always need a replacement more than others? We used to use two plastic but have moved to a metal an one plastic for the last three years, retention is fantastic with the metal, think we’ve only had one heifer lose a metal so far! Any of the older problem tag shedders we now replace with metal as well

yes, certain cows it isn’t worth getting replacements for. Strange thing is that we quickly poke in a write-in allflex sometimes and they last for the life of the animal.
if they get lousy in the winter they lose a lot of tags and we have also changed a lot of mesh gates out as they are bad too.

 

[valtraman]

It’s more the fact his ears are so thick that the tag can’t close enough fur the male to go into female part . I’m just going to get a metal tag for him he a twit for burying his his in soil banks so rips tags out. He a big shorthorn bull all our Angus bulls don’t have such thick ears

 

[JP1]

It’s more the fact his ears are so thick that the tag can’t close enough fur the male to go into female part . I’m just going to get a metal tag for him he a twit for burying his his in soil banks so rips tags out. He a big shorthorn bull all our Angus bulls don’t have such thick ears

Alter your tagging pliers slightly

 

[valtraman]

Alter your tagging pliers slightly

No it won’t help the tag is clamped shut as far as will go in between ear. It’s like the pins on tag need to be longer

 

[hubbahubba]

Shearwell tags for you. Its like the female part it too soft. I have moved back to alflex. Tags snap in unlike the shearwell ones which just squige in.

 

[JP1]

No it won’t help the tag is clamped shut as far as will go in between ear. It’s like the pins on tag need to be longer

Is it not a Shearwell tagger or did I read this thread wrong?

 

[Werzle]

Drill the guts of the tag out and put a bolt through with a nylock nut