Sheep marking / ear notching for basic management

[Jockers84]

Hi I’m wondering what other people’s basic systems are for sheep marking via coloured sprays and ear notching. Yes I’m aware there is a great array of softwares relating to EID but I’m interested in the very basics prior to EID recording.
For example ailments and treatments, sires from single sired groups, animals on a 2 strike cull basis.

And what colour sequence should keels be used? Looking at going weekly change to suit work and available help. Normally don’t bother but advisors are adamant I’ll see a benefit with restricted shed space available at lambing.

Scanning results as well, and marking of ewe & lambs pairs, I find blue has the longest lasting definition.

 

[Farmer_Joe]

Crap get a cull tag, can’t miss that and marking always fades or it’s just before clipping.

Twin lambs off a mule which I select for my breeders I leave tails on again can’t mistake that so easy way to select them.

Foot treatment mark on rump, I use yellow dot it lasts remarkably well if it’s a second treatment then if I have my wits about me it should really be cull tag, I do tend to recognise repeat offenders and just stick a cull tag in em that way.

Any singles (at scanning) I used to record tag numbers but as I understand it’s mostly genetic, since selecting exclusively from twin mothers I no longer do this as I believe their mostly bred out now

 

[Jockers84]

What colour of cull tag do you work? I’m also looking at colour coding the years, have always worked yellow and white with the year printed on the tag until now, as it suits the excess replacements we sell on as breeders.

 

[Aspiring Peasants]

Hi I’m wondering what other people’s basic systems are for sheep marking via coloured sprays and ear notching. Yes I’m aware there is a great array of softwares relating to EID but I’m interested in the very basics prior to EID recording.
For example ailments and treatments, sires from single sired groups, animals on a 2 strike cull basis.

And what colour sequence should keels be used? Looking at going weekly change to suit work and available help. Normally don’t bother but advisors are adamant I’ll see a benefit with restricted shed space available at lambing.

Scanning results as well, and marking of ewe & lambs pairs, I find blue has the longest lasting definition.

For tagged sheep , different colour cable ties through their tags for culls, lameness, etc are quite easy

 

[Farmer_Joe]

What colour of cull tag do you work? I’m also looking at colour coding the years, have always worked yellow and white with the year printed on the tag until now, as it suits the excess replacements we sell on as breeders.

I’ve loads of light blue tags that were bought before you needed Eid tags for slaughter just use them. Any colour will work it’s easy to spot as the sheep in question has one side double tagged.

The most culls get tagged at lambing, bad mothering crap birth etc all get cull tags that’s the one area that’s made a huge difference to my flock

I change colour each year for new sheep so Ivan easily identify shearligs etc, just rotate through them with supplier

 

[Hill Ground]

I’ve loads of light blue tags that were bought before you needed Eid tags for slaughter just use them. Any colour will work it’s easy to spot as the sheep in question has one side double tagged.

The most culls get tagged at lambing, bad mothering crap birth etc all get cull tags that’s the one area that’s made a huge difference to my flock

I change colour each year for new sheep so Ivan easily identify shearligs etc, just rotate through them with supplier

I go through the colours in as near to rainbow order as I can so I can work out how old they are.

Even I can remember that!!

 

[Jockers84]

I go through the colours in as near to rainbow order as I can so I can work out how old they are.

Even I can remember that!!

I was never good at the rainbow song, either missed that day or was at the headmaster’s office

 

[Jockers84]

Currently use a light blue cull tag, double tag possible replacements at birth, and v notch the best ones, only rigs and pets/set ons have the tail left on.
Cull hard, pretty much everything is 2 strikes and you’re out.
Looking to expand numbers and have a system that can be written down and followed by others.

 

[Norfolk Hill Farmer]

Stripe down the back for a cull post shearing or a management tag before shearing. At scanning, red dot on neck for single, rump for trip, and nothing for twin. Lambs born outside, blue dot on the neck once ringed for wethers and non keepers, blue dot on the rump for potential keepers.
A good strong mark will last a good four months.

 

[unlacedgecko]

LIHO eat notching.

Green = inverdale
Blue = MyoMax (1 notch per copy)
Red = “B” Flock (no progeny retained for breeding)
Black = Cull asap

That's what I used.

 

[puppet]

Red neck means cull with a cable tie as well if before clipping.Tags are colour changed annually. Green neck for breeding ewes mainly as different from my neighbours to easily spot if straying..

 

[mixedfmr]

What colour of cull tag do you work? I’m also looking at colour coding the years, have always worked yellow and white with the year printed on the tag until now, as it suits the excess replacements we sell on as breeders.

I use Shearwell, plenty of colours, and change each year in alphabetical order of the colour so cant go wrong
Print sire on tag only
To cull get a piece of string tied in tag, at the scene of the crime so to speak, and then record in lambing diary. but a visual for initial, just in case its a buisy night
Singles get a slaughter tag at birth so they go for def

 

[Jockers84]

What about colours or areas (neck/back/hip) for various things through the year, dry milker, mastitis treatments, staggers type of things, lame, brain things, etc?

And anyone got pointer on keel colour orders? I’d be tempted to start with yellow and work darker…

 

[puppet]

What about colours or areas (neck/back/hip) for various things through the year, dry milker, mastitis treatments, staggers type of things, lame, brain things, etc?

And anyone got pointer on keel colour orders? I’d be tempted to start with yellow and work darker…

All those conditions are covered by the red neck of death.

 

[Jockers84]

All those conditions are covered by the red neck of death.

I get that, but mean for repeat treatment prior their departure date

 

[puppet]

For a course of antibiotics I put a wee dot on the shoulder for each injection. Note colour of dots and tag in the book so can check back on withdrawal though most wouldn't go until well after the period. Sometimes spray a slaughter date on them. Lame separated after treatment and sprayed.

 

[Alias]

I was never good at the rainbow song, either missed that day or was at the headmaster’s office

Virgins In Bed Get Your Organs Ready.
That’s what our teacher told us anyway. He wasn’t much of a teacher, but he kept us entertained.

 

[Hill Ground]

Virgins In Bed Get Your Organs Ready.
That’s what our teacher told us anyway. He wasn’t much of a teacher, but he kept us entertained.

I'm on
Richard of York gave battle in vein

 

[Jockers84]

Any takers on my order of keel colours query?

 

[Al R]

Use 9 different notches here relating to the breeding or how pure the exlana’s are. Either notched at birth or at 21 days when they get HepP/Ovivac old blank red tags or white tags with cull written on for any ewes that need culling once weaned. 3 vehicles going around so tagging/eid wouldn’t be ideal.