Ear Tag Brands

[ccattleco]

In a few short weeks I will be getting my first heifers to my farm. All of the ear tag brands seem pretty similar to me, except the Z Tags are one piece (?) My brain automatically goes to the Z tags since they're one piece, just sounds easier to me. I've never tagged before so it will be my first time. What is everyone's experience with the different tagging systems? Y Tex? Allflex? Duflex?

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

We use T-Tex. I have no experience with any other brand.

 

[A.J.]

We use Z tags and have had good luck with them. We write the numbers and any other necessary information on them with the pen you get with the tagger, and they stay Readable and in the ear very well for us.

 

[Till-Hill]

Ztags hands down best tag, unless your retagging and you have to make new holes. You get a lot of holes In ears over a cows life. Button tags go cheap and can go custom tags cheaper than buying at farm store. www.eartagsdirect.com standard button, cheap last just as long as any. We use 300 of them a year.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

I use AllFlex tags on all my cows and cant remember the last time I lost a tag. Bought some heifers 2 years ago with Z-Tags and last week I just retagged the last one as they all lost the Z-Tags in that time.

 

[Randi]

We use Y-tex tags in the cows. They are a 2 piece tag, but we have really good retention with them. In the calves we use Z-tag feedlot tags.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I use AllFlex tags on all my cows and cant remember the last time I lost a tag. Bought some heifers 2 years ago with Z-Tags and last week I just retagged the last one as they all lost the Z-Tags in that time.
[/quote

Why does AllFlex stay?

 

[JW IN VA]

I switched to Z tags in the cows from the two piece since I seemed to lose one or two each year.Only lost two so far.

I use y tex in the calves since I can buy them cheaper and they won't be staying.Any heifers which stay get new tags anyway.

 

[Luckiamute]

I use the Destron Fearing tags you can customize and order through the American Angus Association. I love them. They don't fade (I use black ink on yellow tags) and I don't recall ever having one come out/fall out yet -- but I have had other tags come out.

 

[wbvs58]

I use Allflex. Just remember with what ever tag you use, use soft hands so if they suddenly pull away let things go so you don't pull the tag through the ear.

Ken

 

[WinterSpringsFarm]

I use Ritchie engravable tags. I really like them, and they won't fade.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

It seems most of my Z-Tags are lost in the winter. Not sure if they are more brittle in the cold or what. Purely a guess.

 

[Silver]

I use Ritchie engravable tags. I really like them, and they won't fade.

Same programme here on the females. Went back to Ritchie in year D. The C cows and prior have Allflex and the numbers are so faded on most of them they are very difficult to read.
Haven't noticed a difference in retention.

 

[5S Cattle]

I use AllFlex tags on all my cows and cant remember the last time I lost a tag. Bought some heifers 2 years ago with Z-Tags and last week I just retagged the last one as they all lost the Z-Tags in that time.

Same experience with both of those brands

 

[76 Bar]

Same as Randi, Z tags in calves, Y Tags in everything else. Never had a retention problem with the former. Occasionally lost a few Y Tags due to bull ruckus or on advanced age cows. Use the Z tagger pen on the calf tags and the fluid marker on the Y Tags.Admittedly a PITA. Legibility excellent on both. Replacement heifers get a new updated permanent tag using the same hole as the calf tag. Herd is tattooed as well.

 

[76 Bar]

Forgot to mention...once you master the the brief learning curve of applying the Z Tags you'll never again rip an ear and especially on a new born.

 

[TCRanch]

I use Y-Tex and the only time they lose one is if it literally gets ripped out of their ear or snag it enough the hole gets enlarged. Bonus, the Y-Tex Ultra Tagger with the quick release pin. I was changing ear tags every couple years only because the ink would fade and Dun recommended the Super Mark marker. So far so good.

 

[76 Bar]

Dun recommended the Super Mark marker.

Good marker!

 

[Nesikep]

I have been using a mix of Allflex (last 28 years) and now Ztags.. I like the Z tag plier, auto release with a pivoting needle means that as soon as it's snapped you can pretty much just pull your hand back if needed

I haven't found much difference in retention... I apply 2-3 coats of paint good and heavy, that makes them last for years.. I tried some white on black, and while it looks really sharp, it fades too... If you can get close enough you can still see the imprint in the plastic where the ink etched, but you won't see it from any distance.
I don't quite get why the tags fade so much, it's not like the ears get rubbed on that much.. If they lose a tag it's probably because they had their head through the fence and snagged the pin on the way out.

 

[Silver]

I don't quite get why the tags fade so much, it's not like the ears get rubbed on that much.. If they lose a tag it's probably because they had their head through the fence and snagged the pin on the way out.

I guess the sun is a powerful thing. I always went over my numbers several times with the marker but to no avail. But on the back side of the heifers tags I often wrote the number again, one pass with the pen. The numbers written on the back of the tags never fade, even after the triple layer of ink on the front is long gone.