Tagging lambs at birth outside

[Farmerwully]

Am thinking of tagging my lambs to record their performance, select replacements from the best ewes and all that. I lamb outside,so it's bit more work. Is it going to be worthwhile? Are these electronic stock recorders a good job?

 

[neilo]

I tag all my potential replacement ewe lambs at birth, lambing outside in April, with all data recorded on a Psion. To do that, you will need to either have ewe genetics that are happy stand close to their lambs whilst you’re ringing/tagging (within range of the Psion to read her tag), or some way of reading her ID visually at distance.

 

[exmoor dave]

Am thinking of tagging my lambs to record their performance, select replacements from the best ewes and all that. I lamb outside,so it's bit more work. Is it going to be worthwhile? Are these electronic stock recorders a good job?

Stock recorder is very good, but the read range of any reader is literally right next to the tag.

Biggest problem is getting the ewe's tag number, esp younger ewes who won't quite stay close enough to scan the tag.

Next option is either use management tags with big printed numbers

Or spray paint numbers on the ewe's and cross reference to the eartags number on paper or the stock recorder.

 

[scottish-lleyn]

Well worth it if your recording dosnt take long 30/40seconds a lamb on an old agrident reader here. Also a good time to acess the ewes mothering ability and the lambs thriftyness. Its amazing once i started tagging and linking lambs and recording how much you learn and gain by doing it.

 

[exmoor dave]

I tag all my potential replacement ewe lambs at birth, lambing outside in April, with all data recorded on a Psion. To do that, you will need to either have ewe genetics that are happy stand close to their lambs whilst you’re ringing/tagging (within range of the Psion to read her tag), or some way of reading her ID visually at distance.

Many a time I've dangled the Psion off the end of the crook to scan a number

 

[Farmerwully]

Stock recorder is very good, but the read range of any reader is literally right next to the tag.

Biggest problem is getting the ewe's tag number, esp younger ewes who won't quite stay close enough to scan the tag.

Next option is either use management tags with big printed numbers

Or spray paint numbers on the ewe's and cross reference to the eartags number on paper or the stock recorder.

Yes some farmers here spray a number on ewes side an cross reference

 

[neilo]

Yes some farmers here spray a number on ewes side an cross reference

I tried that one year, but was blurred to the extent of being unreadable within a couple of weeks. Might work better in sheep with less/no wool though?

 

[exmoor dave]

Yes some farmers here spray a number on ewes side an cross reference

It works ok but a few weeks in to lambing the numbers can smudge and become difficult to read


Or if keeping shedders..... the ewe's start to shed and lose the paint number completely

 

[Poorbuthappy]

Many a time I've dangled the Psion off the end of the crook to scan a number

I carry binoculars and have often used them to read a tag 8' away! The eyes don't work like they used to when you get over 40, especially the nearer 50 you get!

Generally I use a quad trailer and let the ewe follow into the trailer. Most mature ewes will hop right in. 2 tooths less so but if not generally they'll stand by the trailer well enough to leg crook. Anything that won't goes in the terminal flock as not maternal enough.

 

[jemski]

I did it last year. Sprayed numbers onto ewes and linked them to tag numbers on the psion. I didn't have a problem reading them - even with the last ewes that lambed. Was very straightforward.
I have a very good catching dog and wouldn't have done it without her. I missed a day of tagging and I'm glad no one was watching the next day when I had to catch the lambs - but my rugby tackling wouldn't have gone amiss at the 6 nations.... [emoji23]

 

[Farmerwully]

Shame they can't make a reader that can read at a distance

 

[Tim W]

Shame they can't make a reader that can read at a distance

As i understand it they have readers that work at a greater distance but have a scatter gun effect and collect data over a wide arc----then you get multiple tag readings

 

[matthew]

Shame they can't make a reader that can read at a distance

My car can open from 25 yards, and i don't open the one parked next to it.

 

[Poorbuthappy]

My car can open from 25 yards, and i don't open the one parked next to it.

That' different - it's matched to your car only, a tag reader has to be able to read any tag.
How you going to stop it reading the ones in your pocket/ on the lambs/ in the bike toolbox - all closer than the ewe you want to read 25 yards away?

 

[Woolless]

I did it last year. Sprayed numbers onto ewes and linked them to tag numbers on the psion. I didn't have a problem reading them - even with the last ewes that lambed. Was very straightforward.
I have a very good catching dog and wouldn't have done it without her. I missed a day of tagging and I'm glad no one was watching the next day when I had to catch the lambs - but my rugby tackling wouldn't have gone amiss at the 6 nations.... [emoji23]

Do you have any Scottish ancestors? We could maybe do with a hand at Murrayfield on Saturday!

I find spray on numbers work fine. And, as said, a great chance to assess ewe mothering and milking ability.

 

[exmoor dave]

Shame they can't make a reader that can read at a distance

Even better would be cheap dna linkage, then we could tag them much later.

Would idealy still need to record a birth date against the ewe though

 

[Nithsdale]

I tried that one year, but was blurred to the extent of being unreadable within a couple of weeks. Might work better in sheep with less/no wool though?

Car paint stenciled on like the tup boys do?

 

[neilo]

Car paint stenciled on like the tup boys do?

It would stay clear, but it wouldn’t scour out of the wool a few months later.

 

[Nithsdale]

It would stay clear, but it wouldn’t scour out of the wool a few months later.

Just clip it out

 

[foobar]

Does spraying numbers on the back stay on better than if you spray on the sides of the sheep? (i.e. less likely to get rubbed off) Bit harder to read but you'd be close up to the sheep anyway if tagging lambs.