Which cattle tags?

[Alicecow]

We now have a choice of 3 suppliers of cattle tags :

Mullinahone / Allflex
Cormac / Caisley
Datamars / Alphatags.

I've only used the Mullinahone ones before as they were the only authorised supplier before, but having set up an account with them I am apparently 20cents in debt already
Does anyone have experience of the other two types?
Will the Allflex tagger apply the other types satisfactorily?
Are the other ones any good? (They claim 99% of them stay in).

Thanks

 

[bobk]

All tags seem to be a little different , have 10 sets of taggers but I really only like the reflex tagger which are obsolete but can't stand the k type..

 

[Lazy Eric]

Caisley.. good tags, quick service

 

[Alicecow]

Nice lady says I'm now debt free

 

[johnspeehs]

We are using Caisley and they seem to be staying in quite well, we switched away from Ritchey as you needed different taggers for the tissue tag sets.Think they give you free set of taggers with your first order.

 

[M-J-G]

Pretty sure the are only 3 tag manufacturers in the UK now

Allflex
Zee tags
Caisley

 

[Stuart J]

I know they aren't on your list, but we use shearwell.

Free replacements.

 

[Frank-the-Wool]

Shearwell free replacements +1.
I have yet to find the tags where 99% stay in!!

 

[M-J-G]

Shearwell are supposedly allflex, as are Cox, Ritchey and Dalton.

https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/fearing-tags-gone-to-the-dogs.102326/#post-2070566

 

[Shadow]

We use Caisley and been very pleased with them so far. The group that have ring feeders have been losing tags all over the place but none of the caisley tags have come out! Also the tagging pliers are really nice to use and release quickly (except when tissue tagging)

 

[slackjawedyokel]

I really like the zeetag/quicktag tags because the tagging pliers are designed for normal hands and the jaws spring open when tagged so you can just pull the pliers away from the ear.
Only slight problem with them is that I use an old set of pliers (white ones with purple); I bought a new set of the blue/black ones but I gave up using those because I kept bending tags in them.
I use zeetags for both primary and management tags, with Cox quiksilver tags as secondaries.
We used to use combi tags, but the combi senior pliers are monsters that are not designed for human hands.

 

[manhill]

Metal is best. Why do 2 metals not satisfy the Defra rules? If one is allowed at present and there is a requirement to restrain to read it, might as well have 2.

 

[manhill]

Bottom would drop out of the replacement tag industry I suppose!

 

[bobk]

Metal is best. Why do 2 metals not satisfy the Defra rules? If one is allowed at present and there is a requirement to restrain to read it, might as well have 2.

Have enough trouble reading plastic tags.

 

[manhill]

Have enough trouble reading plastic tags.

Extra plastic for convenience, two metals for legal?
Shouldn't both tags be read on Defra inspections to ensure compliance?

 

[Dafydd]

Caisley as they send a packet of Haribos with the order!

 

[Alicecow]

Caisley as they send a packet of Haribos with the order!

They'd probably get snaffled by the middle man!