Ear Tags

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dun

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We've used Duflex ear tags for years and never have had a problem. This year for some reason we've lost a bucnh of them. The hole in the ear isn't torn so it appears the stem that goes through the ear has broken. We have tags that have been in for 7-8 years with no problem. It's not one year class either, some from this year, some from 4 years ago, one from last year.
We've had worse winters, cows holed up in heavier cover, etc. What gives? Anybody ever had this problem.?
dun
 
WE usually have the problem with them ripping them out on fences or trees and putting gashes in their ears. There are cows that have had the same tag for 8-10 years and some that haven't kept one in for years so we quit puttin them in and give them a hip brand.
 
IMO the Z-tags have held out the best and been the easiest to put in, even my daughter can do it. They are a one piece, self piercing tag. I think no matter what type you use you'll have a percentage of loss, but this has been my best. The only problem I have had is the short neck makes it hard to read on the hairy eared cows, but I found long neck ones for the calves this year, so that should solve that!
 
Dee":3mx3cqq7 said:
IMO the Z-tags have held out the best and been the easiest to put in, even my daughter can do it. They are a one piece, self piercing tag. I think no matter what type you use you'll have a percentage of loss, but this has been my best. The only problem I have had is the short neck makes it hard to read on the hairy eared cows, but I found long neck ones for the calves this year, so that should solve that!

Dun
Have you considered freeze branding. It is a easy as long as you have a chute to work the cattle in. It can be read from a distance and will stay
on for life.
 
First the z-tags. One farm that we have gotten heifers from in the past uses them. We've lost a couple of them also.
I realize that freezebranding when properly done is permanent, but from th results I've seen, the ability to do it properly must be a real challange. There are several dairys that have been doing it for years and the brands are so blotched and intermittant that they're hard to make out.
As had been said before by others, I don't have a problem recognizing one cow from another, but if other people seem to think that all Red Angus and red baldys all look the same.
Come psring workup I guess I'll just retag and go from there.

dun


la4angus":1q4h4tux said:
Dee":1q4h4tux said:
IMO the Z-tags have held out the best and been the easiest to put in, even my daughter can do it. They are a one piece, self piercing tag. I think no matter what type you use you'll have a percentage of loss, but this has been my best. The only problem I have had is the short neck makes it hard to read on the hairy eared cows, but I found long neck ones for the calves this year, so that should solve that!

Dun
Have you considered freeze branding. It is a easy as long as you have a chute to work the cattle in. It can be read from a distance and will stay
on for life.
 
We have found out that y-tex tags are the best, another idea that we use is a small hog or sheep tag about a 1x1 square and put it in the oppisite ear so we always know for sure which cow it really is.
 
I use Y-Tex with no problems. Hardly lose any, goes in easy, some still very legible after 8 years. Y-tex has a lot of choices for ID and Fly control.
 
Dun, I know what you mean. This time of year, if you feed with round bales, the cows lose their ear tags like a fat kid eats cake. Ive noticed that ours tend to snag them in the hay strings before we cut them and then snap the back and tip of the male part off when they try to walk away. i attribute this mostly to crappy quality ear tags. anyway, i'd rather them lose the tag than rip the ear so i'm not complaining. I dont ever pay attention to the ear tags anyway, i know them all individually. its funny to me how some people think they all look the same but then again most people just see a tree in the woods whereas i see a live oak, or bald cypress, or a yellow poplar. as far as freeze branding goes, would you want to stand still while someone burns you? i think i'd jump around like all get-out and try to...get out.
 
Really it does, but it's freeze burning. It's hard to tell the difference between a fire burn and a freeze burn. They both have the same affect and fire is a whole lot safer to handle then dry ice and alcohol.

dun



la4angus":2jrho3k7 said:
Freeze branding does not burn.
 
Yeah it basically does burn. Ive felt it, so theres no way you will ever convince me that it doesnt burn. "Burning" may not be the correct term if you want to get technical but that is the exact sensation that is created.
 
The pain and discomfort from a freeze burn seems to dissipate much quicker than fire burns. But still, it's such hassle. Just fire brand and get it over with.
 

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