Ear Tagging for Good Records

[randiliana]

The thing with all eartags, dangle or button RFID's is that they are not fail safe. If you put them in properly you can reduce your losses, but cattle can find ways to lose tags anywhere. From twine, to bush, to fences, they can rip them out and cut them out. I use RFID buttons (which we have to use anyways) as a backup system to my dangle tags. If a cow loses a tag, I can always run her down the chute and read her RFID if I need to. I've only had 1 which lost both her tags, and that was as much our fault as anything. They were in a pasture with some old bales and we didn't take the time to remove the twine from the bale. It took me a while, an I had to figure it out by process of elimination but in the end I did figure out who she was.

 

[backhoeboogie]

We keep very in depth records here. I just figure trying to put all that info on a tag is TMI. For the most part I know my cows and usually it isn't so important to know who the sire or dam is that I can't look it up later (or most other info either.)

AND cattle lose ear tags. If you're dependent on them you just lost your records.

Disagree TB. A cow is not tagged. What happened? Who is that? Can't find 72. Must be her. Sure looks like her. Check 'em all to make sure. Yep, that's 72, her calf is on her. Catch her in the medina when they go through the alley. Put a new tag on her. #45's tag is fading, might want to replace that one while you are at it.

Problem solved. Records still good.

 

[Brute 23]

We keep very in depth records here. I just figure trying to put all that info on a tag is TMI. For the most part I know my cows and usually it isn't so important to know who the sire or dam is that I can't look it up later (or most other info either.)

AND cattle lose ear tags. If you're dependent on them you just lost your records.

Disagree TB. A cow is not tagged. What happened? Who is that? Can't find 72. Must be her. Sure looks like her. Check 'em all to make sure. Yep, that's 72, her calf is on her. Catch her in the medina when they go through the alley. Put a new tag on her. #45's tag is fading, might want to replace that one while you are at it.

Problem solved. Records still good.

I agree it's easier to keep just a number in their ear and every thing else on an excel sprradsheet.

 

[Gators Rule]

I use what I think is the KISS approach. Letter for the birth year....last year was "A" year before was "Z" and this year is "B". the next numbers are those of the dam. I use three colors that stand out. Yellow for purebred simmental, pink for registered simmental cross (namely simangus), and orange for commerical. I prefer preprinted tags, especially for heifers, as they seem to hold up better. I tattoo the eartag number in both ears if I'm going to register the calf. Makes it easier to determine who is who when a tag is lost.

 

[herofan]

My goodness, I didn't realize ear tags were so deep. I don't even use them at all. I guess I'm behind.

I've never had a big operation but do use ear tags. Was told many years ago to "learn your cattle". No two are the same. Have tried to practice this and even with holsteins you learn your cattle. Easy to point out cow families in a herd of hundreds.

Numbers are probably why it's not a big thing with me. I only have 16 and only plan to grow into the 20s. It's not hard to tell who's who.

I recall being at the sale barn once and an old farmer listening to a younger guy talk about his ear tag system. Part of it was how he could tell which calf belonged to what cow with his system. The older farmer said, "I usually just figure the calf goes with the cow that had it." Then he just smiled and walked off.