Brisket Tag

[Dee]

Nobody around here sells brisket tags, so, I'll have to order. Can they be put in newborn calves? Are they difficult to use? Any pro's or con's, vs. typical ear tags? I am kind of nervous that I could damage something if I apply the tag too high or too low, any chance of that? Thanks!

 

[randiliana]

Nobody around here sells brisket tags, so, I'll have to order. Can they be put in newborn calves? Are they difficult to use? Any pro's or con's, vs. typical ear tags? I am kind of nervous that I could damage something if I apply the tag too high or too low, any chance of that? Thanks!

You can put them in calves. It is a lot of work though when compared to an eartag.
You are unlikely to cause too much harm to the calf doing it, but that would depend some on what kind of brisket tag you are planning to use.

Cons would be
- the amount of time to put them in
- depending on the tag the animal will either have to be facing you or standing broadside for you to read the number

Pros would be
- retention, chances of losing a brisket tag is pretty small. Can happen but not often.

Myself, I would use eartags on the calves and then replace them with brisket tags if you kept the animal as a replacement, or when she calves.

 

[DiamondSCattleCo]

Dee, I do what Randi suggested. Since I got tired of seeing ear tags getting yanked out of my calves ears, I switched to smaller steel tags (about 1" diameter) at birth, and if the animal is retained in the herd, I brisket tag then.

This is simply a cost saving though, as brisket tagging a calf is pretty simple. Throw it down, kneel on its neck, punch the hole and thread the tag. It only takes a couple minutes to put it in. Don't worry about damaging anything, as the brisket is all fat.

Rod