Cattle tags

[tr250]

Our usual tag supplier has stopped selling metal secondary tags so I’ve been looking at other makes I looked up Ketchum as I’m sure our supplier bought them in. So Ketchum large primary is called a combi 2000 so is that the same as the shearwell tags?
Other question is how likely is this eid tagging rule to come in as that will ruin our system anyway of a large primary in one ear metal and hand written large management in the other

 

[upnortheast]

You don`t have to buy your tags from the same source. We use Ketchum metals then Primarys from ( I think ) Cox

 

[Full of bull(s)]

I don’t know why anyone uses metal tags anymore. I lost count years ago of the number I’ve had to cut out of cattle I’ve bought due to infection from not putting them in properly, too far into the ear and them growing in

 

[twizzel]

We used to use Ketchum, I think their large primary tag is the same as shearwell. Use the metal tags too, very few infections and retention is good but they can be difficult to read if the cow has lost her big yellow tag.

 

[Andrew]

We used to use metal secondary’s but went to the small plastic button. Can put it in the top and leaves loads of room for a management tag, even on small calves. Metal ones can be difficult to read after a few years, button ones stay on as well as metal ones.

 

[Northeastfarmer]

I don’t know why anyone uses metal tags anymore. I lost count years ago of the number I’ve had to cut out of cattle I’ve bought due to infection from not putting them in properly, too far into the ear and them growing in

I use a steel one and a large plastic one...squirt of iodine before it goes in and never get any problems

 

[tr250]

I don’t know why anyone uses metal tags anymore. I lost count years ago of the number I’ve had to cut out of cattle I’ve bought due to infection from not putting them in properly, too far into the ear and them growing in

We put 230 in last calving and have cut 3 out with infections but as a whole once they have settled they are in for life

 

[milkloss]

I’ve considered the eid thing too. My conclusion is that when we do it, sorry, IF we do it, we will do the whole lot in one go. I can’t see the point of being part eid as It would be so confusing trying to blip animals with a standard tag.

 

[tr250]

I’ve considered the eid thing too. My conclusion is that when we do it, sorry, IF we do it, we will do the whole lot in one go. I can’t see the point of being part eid as It would be so confusing trying to blip animals with a standard tag.

Trouble is I can’t see any benefits from eid ourselves it will only cost us money to buy the tags as we won’t buy a reader as there is no need for a herd of 600 head

 

[AftonShepherd]

We use Zee tags, secondary tags with plenty of space to write the dam's management number on. Any retained heifers get the dam's management details cut off the bottom when they get their own management tag.

 

[milkloss]

Trouble is I can’t see any benefits from eid ourselves it will only cost us money to buy the tags as we won’t buy a reader as there is no need for a herd of 600 head

there are times when life would be easier. We don’t weigh but when running a batch through, using pour on for example, it would certainly be quicker. It’s amazing how well the youngsters can hide their ear from sight in a race!
I’m not convinced the costs (exaggerated by poor retention) are worth it just yet.

 

[Bobthebuilder]

Is there any reason why you couldn’t do front/back combo of ministry tag 1 side and blank management on the other and write on cow number in each ear? Then you’ll still have 2 tags with ministry number but only 2 tags in total

 

[Nithsdale]

Is there any reason why you couldn’t do front/back combo of ministry tag 1 side and blank management on the other and write on cow number in each ear? Then you’ll still have 2 tags with ministry number but only 2 tags in total

Because they must have 2 official tags per animal... know what you're saying, but thems the rules

 

[Nithsdale]

I’ve considered the eid thing too. My conclusion is that when we do it, sorry, IF we do it, we will do the whole lot in one go. I can’t see the point of being part eid as It would be so confusing trying to blip animals with a standard tag.

Not if. It is coming.

 

[milkloss]

Not if. It is coming.

i don’t think they’ve thought it out well enough from what I’ve heard. Us poor barstewards will be the ones with the hassle and cost with very little benefit. Fine for the fatteners and store buyers etc but those of us with breeding cows will end up replacing tags for ever more. Expensive tags as well just so they can kick an industry when it’s down.

I still haven’t paid my NFU sub from a few months ago yet.......... really not sure whether to tbh.

 

[Mc115reed]

Trouble is I can’t see any benefits from eid ourselves it will only cost us money to buy the tags as we won’t buy a reader as there is no need for a herd of 600 head

You can’t see any benefit? Your brain must be amazing... or your good at writing stuff down and remembering where you put it...

Eid has been used for ages in sheep and sheep farmers who use it too it’s full potential have nothing but praise for it...

Bad lambing? Wand it’s ear and put a black mark against it for next time your culling...

Lame? Wand it so next time it’s lame it’ll flag up as a regular...

Mastitis ? Wand it for culling time...

Any other thing too do with herd management... wand it and put it into a management app so it’s handy...

so many people keeping under preforming stock because they can’t remember all the poor performers when it comes round too culling a few out the herd and replacements....

 

[Nithsdale]

i don’t think they’ve thought it out well enough from what I’ve heard. Us poor barstewards will be the ones with the hassle and cost with very little benefit. Fine for the fatteners and store buyers etc but those of us with breeding cows will end up replacing tags for ever more. Expensive tags as well just so they can kick an industry when it’s down.

I still haven’t paid my NFU sub from a few months ago yet.......... really not sure whether to tbh.

Aye, it's ill thought out madness but it's coming, regardless

 

[milkloss]

You can’t see any benefit? Your brain must be amazing... or your good at writing stuff down and remembering where you put it...

Eid has been used for ages in sheep and sheep farmers who use it too it’s full potential have nothing but praise for it...

Bad lambing? Wand it’s ear and put a black mark against it for next time your culling...

Lame? Wand it so next time it’s lame it’ll flag up as a regular...

Mastitis ? Wand it for culling time...

Any other thing too do with herd management... wand it and put it into a management app so it’s handy...

so many people keeping under preforming stock because they can’t remember all the poor performers when it comes round too culling a few out the herd and replacements....

just notch it’s ear? Ytf do you need leccy tags for that?
cow has a calf...... good luck getting very close to ‘wand’ it’s ear hole, hope you got good running shoes.
lame cow...... coming in the crush anyhow so no biggy looking at its tag and, unlike sheep men, this is usually done in the handling system organised with all the relevant admin needed.
blip cattle whilst feeding....... great but there’s always some jumpy beggar at the back and if one is wrong they might as well all be wrong. Then you’ve got the inconvenience of poor tag retention. Blip them at the feed barrier? No good, 2 tags missing and got to run them through the race anyhow.
You tend to know cattle, especially cows so a culling offence is easily written or remembered, I couldn’t do that with a thousand sheep. The other issue with sheep is what if you’ve got enough to have two people lambing or working two different groups in two different locations? Buy double gear? If you’re using it, you’ve got to use it if you see what I mean, no letting any slip the net.
there are instances when it would be handy, I’m not denying that, but I’d use a cordless rattle gun or a new handbrake on the tractor far more than a grands worth of tag reading gear.

 

[tr250]

You can’t see any benefit? Your brain must be amazing... or your good at writing stuff down and remembering where you put it...

Eid has been used for ages in sheep and sheep farmers who use it too it’s full potential have nothing but praise for it...

Bad lambing? Wand it’s ear and put a black mark against it for next time your culling...

Lame? Wand it so next time it’s lame it’ll flag up as a regular...

Mastitis ? Wand it for culling time...

Any other thing too do with herd management... wand it and put it into a management app so it’s handy...

so many people keeping under preforming stock because they can’t remember all the poor performers when it comes round too culling a few out the herd and replacements....

Every cow has a visual tag and tight calving pattern does away with all the need for it every cow is scanned and every empty culled every lame cow is culled the fat cattle that are left in the yard are the worst etc. Eid is only useful for keeping track of dis organised flocks/ herds in my own opinion.

 

[Bobthebuilder]

Because they must have 2 official tags per animal... know what you're saying, but thems the rules

do they have to be double sided tho still will have 2 tags with the official number on