We used to use the alfex tags. The brand were..."eliminator", "protector" and another do not remember. The eliminator is green, protector is orange and the other was yellow. Easy to put in if you had a head gate to restrain them. Remember to wear gloves, use your hands to push the button and tag together after tagging the animal to insure they were put on all the way.
We removed most the next time we handled cows in the chute with side cutters.
We used them for over 10 years. My father in law used them regularly in the summers before that. To get a good control, should tag all cows and bulls. My father in law only tagged a few. When we took over we tagged all.
Down fall:
They are expensive and only last for a month or so depending on the weather. Might get six weeks out of them. Did not really help with the flys on the back, just on the face.
So we decided to go with drap oilers. We bought one for each pasture that we had animals in in the summer and hung them fromt the tree. Then they could cover the face and the back.
The oilers then could be moved to the winter areas when not inuse....year round useage.
Cost...149.00 each for the oiler. Approximately 60.00 in back rub and desiel solution a year. We bought 4 drapes and had on the farm a lewis oiler already which sold for then...800.00 now 1600. We now have year round coverage for all our animals including calves and winter feeders.
Fly tags 4 years ago were $2.25- 3.00 a tag. This cost us $225- 300 a year in tags for if the directions work 2 months of flys. Now we pay $60.00 a year in solution for year round coverage (including lice). We have made back our inital cost of the drapes back already. The lewis oiler paid for itself long ago...been on the farm long time.
Will we use fly tags again...NOT LIKELY
