Cheap idea for heat patches

[4luvofcattle]

Just thought I would share as I was reading through the postings and people using cidrs and heat patches. It was suggested to us by another cow producer to use spray paint on the tail heads. Need to determine the paint based on color of cows. We use yellow for black cows, green on red cows and red on light colored. It put on dry, it even last for several days rain.

 

[Putangitangi]

I tried tail paint and could never read it well enough. I may not have applied it appropriately. Black cows, some smoother than others.

I came up with another idea last and this season, after putting detectors on some cows and then having the calves chew them off their mothers as they lay on the ground. When a cow has been mounted more than once not only does the indicator color, but the cloth patch gets dirtier and dirtier. I've thought seriously about just sticking some white cotton cloth to my cows!

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

Tail chalk (or crayon) is so cheap, and works great! If you have not used it, you really need to try. A stick cost around $1.25 out here, and last for 30 or more cows. We just run a stripe on the tail head, and watch. We have some that is 90 days old (the cows stuck, and so have never been ridden since), and you can still see the stripe. We like hot pink or yellow, easy to see on those black hides (and the one red cow we have!).
Cheap and long lasting!