Identification numbers

[Double R Ranch]

Hello everyone,
I was wondering how you all give each calf/cow there ident. #. Do you give a calf number, then if you keep them as a replacement do you change the number?
Look forward to hearing your responses.
Double R

 

[iowafarmer]

no but they arent registered just a commercial heard. We givethe calfthe smae number as the mom when it is born and if it is kept as a replacement we change the number

 

[1982vett]

I use 4 digit numbers. example 8135. 8 designates the year it was born, 2008. Last 3 digits is calf number, 135. Each calf gets a number in order it was born with a description. I enter that number and information in my computer program as 8135x. The "x" designates it has not been tagged. When I get around to tagging them I try to give them the number designated but it doesn't always happen. After tagging and turning them out I confirm the correct number corresponds to the right pair. When the number is confirmed I remove the "x" designation and correct the calf's id number if needed. It might take a little extra time and effort in record keeping. But I don't like disturbing a calf after it is born and dodging a cow to put an eartag in. Especially since it is usually wet and muddy.

And yes as seldom it has rained since May, I had a new calf yesterday after the second rain we had since Ike. :clap:

 

[randiliana]

The cows get a # starting with 1 and working up. The babies get the same # as their mom, and if we keep a heifer she will get whichever # is open, or if there are no open #'s then she will get the next # in sequence.

 

[dun]

Calves when born get the next sequentil number starting at 1 on a medium sized blue tag. If they are kept as a replacement they keep the same sequential number but the first character of their big tag is the standard letter for the year. This year was/is U so the first heifer retained is U1. If I remember correctly the tentative retained herifers are U1, U4, U7, and U8, the bull is U6.

 

[Red Bull Breeder]

I use the cows number and the year letter.757R her calf is 757T.

 

[gberry]

I use the cows number and the year letter.757R her calf is 757T.

What do you do when 757T calves?

 

[Angus Cowman]

I put the cows # on the calf when it is born and then when I enter it in the computer I designate that calf with the yr ex cow #135 calf # 135 then In my computer prog has a name space enter 8-135,if I keep replacements that calf gets its own #

 

[Double R Ranch]

This may be a stupid question but what determines the years letter?
Double R

 

[Keren]

Mine all get an individual id, whether they are staying or not.

On the front of their tag they get their id number, which is the year letter (this year is D) then a number depending on when they were born - the first one this year is D1, then D2 and so on. On the back of their tag they get their sire and dam numbers, plus the date of birth if it is known, and with the goats they get dots for the number in the litter (three dots for triplets, two for twins etc.).

 

[dun]

This may be a stupid question but what determines the years letter?
Double R

There is a standardized "International Year Code" for aniaml identification. Who standardized it I don;t know
http://www.heterosis.com/_Heterosis/Doc ... cation.pdf

 

[jcarkie]

we give all cows a Xlarge red tag and the calf gets a medium tag, # matches dam, we change colors each year, steers left ear & heifers right ear. last year(fall 07-spring 08) light blue this year(08-09) purple, etc... replacements keep calf number until a number comes open in the cow numbers, they are assigned a number, but the number is inserted after they are bred or calve the first time.

 

[I luv herfrds]

With our herd, we use the first number as the year they were born and then continue in the order they were born. Like 801 to 850.
We keep track of both the cows and calves with a herd book and a computor program. We also tag them at birth, that way we are not guessing.

 

[Tep]

All of our calves get their mama's #'s, right ear hieffer and left bull. Then if we keep any as replacements they will get new tags with the begining # as their starting number. 2008 = 800, 801 ect. Everybody gets entered in the computer with their #'s b-day and birthwieght. That way if they get seperated or have twins you know who to go look for. Saves a lot of time. Learned that the hard way. Get them taged as soon as they hit the ground or within an hour or two. To hard to catch later.

 

[Double R Ranch]

Thanks for the year chart. Appreciate it. Would love to hear more ways if you got them.
Thanks,
Double R

 

[ArrowHBrand]

The cows get a sequential number as they are introduced into the herd, either bought or kept. The calves get the same number as the cow, and the cows are tagged with either green tags for Maines, yellow for Shorty's, and white for commercial cows. We ran three different herds and really enjoyed it, but $5 corn...

 

[Susie David]

Being a small operation we let the grand kids name the calves starting with the appropriate letter name for that year. This was a "B" year for us so naturally we have a Barbie.
The herd book dosn't care if it is a name or number...when I forget who's calf is who's then I'll finally retire. DMc

 

[SRBeef]

Cows are given sequential numbers on large blue tags when purchased, Calves get a medium size handwritten tag with same number as dam plus the year as soon as they are born or first pass thru the chute. For example, cow #66 had a calf this year which got a medium white tag 08-66 with the 08 smaller at the top of the tag then the larger, easier to see dam number 66.

At weaning the calves all get a new large preprinted tag with a new number tag, hiefers I'm keeping get a large white tag, beef heifers and steers for eventual slaughter or sale get a new large yellow tag. This way numbers are all more visible on the larger animals. Once I make a decision on the keepers you can spot them easily because of the different color tag and keep a separate eye out for them. All data goes in the computer.
fwiw.

 

[RanchManager]

HI,
We tag (dangle tag) and RFID tag all of our calves/cows/bulls. We try to get as much info out of the number without getting so complicated it becomes cumbersome. The first calf gets a 1 and a letter to denote the year. This season the first calf will be 1-W, then 2-W, etc. Every calf gets a unique number. This is important for tracking in our database. We don't ever change the tag number so as to avoid confusion and maintain integrity and confidence of our data. We use the calfs, cows, bulls, unique ID in the database to track lineage, stats, innoculations, etc. We put the dangle tag in the right side (passenger side) ear of the bull calves and left side of a heifer calf. We do this to making later sorting a little easier and because the heifer will receive a tattoo in her right ear later on when she gets her bangs vaccination. By looking at a tag we know where the calf was born in sequence to the herd and the year the animal was born. We can also tell the sex if the head shape isn't obvious and/or the angle just isn't right for a quick decision (gate cutting).We know some who use the year as the first number, like 9001, where 9 denotes 2009 and 001 is the first calf. this is a problem if you retain cows older than 10 and need a unique ID for every animal (i.e. most computer systems). All RFID buttons go deep in the left (driver side) ear. We use RFID for our ASV (age source verification) process and to automate our working process. As a cow or calf steps into the chute the scanner will read the tag and bring up the animal in the database. Then we can scan the monitor for any notes ( i.e. open, picked for culling, needs feet checked, or any other note we need to remember at working time). We can then press one button to apply a current weight and innoculations to that animals' data.

 

[gotfire]

We tag every cow with there own 4 digit number as there born. We use blue and pink tags and try to tag them with 4 to 6 hours of hitting the ground. All of our heifers have yellow tags. Everyone has there own ID numbers. I don’t know why I need there birth year on there ear.

The first time we work them we put in a sequential metal tag that stays in till they leave the farm. The metal tags are needed if the plastic tag comes out. It did help get our cows home the time a few got stolen. The metal tags were started when we were using a different system so the numbers do not match there plastic number at all.

We use access for our files and we have no problems with it. In under 3 min you can give me there tag number I can print out the cows family tree and all there info.

You need to decide on how to tag your cows by what makes since to you and how your record keeping wants it to be done. When you decide on how you’re going to do it think about twins and what happens down the line in 10 years.

In the first 2 years of keeping our cattle we went though 4 different systems.