We use Allflex bubblegum. Don’t have a reader so can’t comment on that. Retention is fine, but if they lose one they probably have ripped their ear in half. Retention is better if you cut the loop. A few do go gungy. This year they were out of stock in February. February! So I’m not going to recommend them, but we’ll probably still use them...
Sheep Tags
- Thread starter GavinJ
- Start date
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
My pedigree sheep all have like for like replacements put in, in order to keep their ID’s. The crossbreds just have the next number put in and the change recorded, so I always keep a few spares in coloured batches ready.
My pedigrees have had almost 10% replaced in the last 12 months, very few of which have ripped out, most have broken at the bend and most have been the yellow EID ones. Every time I have them through, I have another list to order and getting a bit pee’d off with them tbh. I did have enough replacements sent for the 2015 born sheep, which was the year group when the problem started. I’ve used most of them, but am already onto replacing replacements!
I have spoken with them but I can’t believe i’m The only person seeing this. A pity as their long term retention used to be superb, in fact the oldest ewes still very rarely lose any.
I can’t fault the customer service or the read rate, both of which are exemplary.
Yes there is point in these messages. I have been let down by my supplier and am now looking for an alternative and need someone reliable hence the question.
Shearwell are reliable / commited to tag supply.
With regards to breaking falling out or not reading, its only plastic, skin bit of grizzle etc and nothing in this world is perfect 100 %
Strange that you get problems and i don't
I have a friend with 1000 ewes that regularly loses tags at 1 farm but not at another?
The visual can yes, problem is if you have any losses having to order individual tags to match up. If you qualify for the free replacement its not so bad, but its a faff and easier just to put new set of tags in there and then and record change as @neilo says.
We go for extra management tags instead colour coded by year of birth. Ram lambs and single ewe lambs get normal slaughter tags at birth, twin ewe lambs get management tag instead. If they don't make the grade they get slaughter tag put in.
Any bought in sheep get management tag in opposite ear to homebred.
- Location
- Montgomeryshire
scatterbrainedlass
Member
- Location
- Lancashire
Used to use Roxan ( at the time they did coloured large management tags which we wanted) but they fell out for fun. I think we were losing 5-10% per year. They'd just come undone and fall out! Switched to Shearwell this year, I think we've lost 1 tag out of 150 double tagged, and that has ripped the ear on the way out.
Northeastfarmer
Member
- Location
- Cleveland
Well you’ve been on here long enough to realise that every tag thread started on here ends up resulting in Shearwell ending up as the main choice
- Location
- Southwest Scotland
I also find Roxan problematic. All of my flock have Rubba tags which are great to read as I do not have an electronic reader but they do fall out, appropriately 30% have needed to be replaced and the office frequently make mistakes with my orders. On a plus side they do give free replacements but not with bought in stock.
Y Fan Wen
Member
- Location
- N W Snowdonia
Dad started using 2 piece Daltons sometime in the 60s, no writing just colour id for age. Used these for decades. When double tagging started I moved onto one piece tags which is when my troubles started.
I moved from Dalton to Shearwell 'cos Daltons were so difficult to penetrate the ear. The peg would just twist to one side. Very rare that I get a problem with Shearwell, and I don't have Neilo's problems either.
I do have problems with the peg twisting but the real issue is that they messed up my order last week sending it to my old address for some reason then resent it for Saturday by 9am which actually arrived today at 2.30pm. They just proved themselves to be incompetent in my eyes so not getting another chance.
if it was us who wanted to tag it would be illegal
Keepers
Member
- Location
- South West
Have always used and preferred Shearwell, however they really don’t go in older ears very well, the pins just aren’t strong enough.
Im going to be ordered tags for a new flock of lambs 2020 and would be interested in looking at a few different tags just to see what’s out there
I hate the roxan tag faster tags... never had any luck with them
Im going to be ordered tags for a new flock of lambs 2020 and would be interested in looking at a few different tags just to see what’s out there
I hate the roxan tag faster tags... never had any luck with them
- Location
- Dumfries & Galloway
Don't worry... I'll only reply once
Cox Qwik eID tags. They had a reputation for being soft and the needles bending... but Cox changed the plastic after a year or 2 (so 8years ago) and have been faultless since. Read rates on cull ewes has always been very good (I don't scan my own tags, but I get a readout from Dumfries every pen cull ewe I sell so can see how many non-readers there are).
Retention is excellent, very few tags just fall out - most ones which I replace the ears are either torn or the numbers are unreadable (must be visual on both tags), but the tags which can't be read are of 1 colour and were used in 2012! Cox are currently changing the laser printing and colour formulations on the tags for farther improvement
For older killing lambs with tougher ears put the tag in the back / bottom of the ear not up front / on top.
The ear is thinner less tough there, an extra thing to do but dipping the pin in 'ritchey superlube thick' helps the pin cut in thicker ears ime.
The ear is thinner less tough there, an extra thing to do but dipping the pin in 'ritchey superlube thick' helps the pin cut in thicker ears ime.