Patches vs. Painting

[RisingCreekHerefords]

For heat detection, do you guys paint the tails or use the patches? Which do you prefer and why? I have only used syncing in the past so this is a first for me. I have a cow that ALWAYS tells me when I have a cow in heat. She bothers the cow just as much as the bull does...until now. This time, of course, she has dropped the ball and I haven't noticed any signs on the cows I am watching. But I also do not have a bull with them, which is a first for me.

 

[dun]

Patches are faster to put on, paint is easier to touch up. I used to do paint but have switched over to estrotect patches now.

 

[wbvs58]

I use paint when I pull the cidrs out so I know what's happening, then as they are approaching 3 weeks after AI I put the Estrotect patches on them to try and pick up the ones I have missed and then they go out with the bull on the next cycle and the patches are usually still good 3 weeks later to tell me if the bull has had his way with any.
Ken

 

[cowgirl_jenna]

We paint at our dairy, but I use patches for our beef herd. Simple fact, the paint wears off and needs to be re-applied if out in the weather for long periods of time. The estrotect patches have worked good for me.
jenna

 

[Named'em Tamed'em]

Patches work best for me.

 

[dun]

If you have low hanging trees (like cedars) or brush they walk through, neither works that well. That's when the old K-Mar patches work best

 

[wbvs58]

If you have low hanging trees (like cedars) or brush they walk through, neither works that well. That's when the old K-Mar patches work best

Yeh, I have that problem Dun but I have learnt to read between the lines and can usually sort it out.
Ken

 

[Jessica06]

Patches. The adhesive is better than it used to be, and we rarely have a cow lose one. Just don't put them on right after you use fly pour-on! We had to use paint that day. Oops.

 

[garyws]

Patches work best for me.

Do they work for the cow too? :lol: Sorry...I couldn't let that one pass.

 

[Double R Ranch]

Tried paint years ago. Went to patches and haven't looked back.
Have learned how to read the patches over the years to decipher tree or tail swishing marks or how much the animal has been ridden. Estrotech has greatly improved the sticky thankfully. No longer have to add glue to get them to stay on. Even in rainy weather.
A tip is we clip the hair spot at vaccination time so the hair is short but growing back and they stick way better at breeding time. (Usually a month later)

 

[wbvs58]

Tried paint years ago. Went to patches and haven't looked back.
Have learned how to read the patches over the years to decipher tree or tail swishing marks or how much the animal has been ridden. Estrotech has greatly improved the sticky thankfully. No longer have to add glue to get them to stay on. Even in rainy weather.
A tip is we clip the hair spot at vaccination time so the hair is short but growing back and they stick way better at breeding time. (Usually a month later)

That's a good idea, thanks.
Ken

 

[dun]

Tried paint years ago. Went to patches and haven't looked back.
Have learned how to read the patches over the years to decipher tree or tail swishing marks or how much the animal has been ridden. Estrotech has greatly improved the sticky thankfully. No longer have to add glue to get them to stay on. Even in rainy weather.
A tip is we clip the hair spot at vaccination time so the hair is short but growing back and they stick way better at breeding time. (Usually a month later)

I found that just brushing the spot and having the tags warm (I leave them over the defroster duct in the winter) and they're almost impossible to get off. That's when I discovered that using a knife and sort of shaving/cutting the hair get's them off.

 

[Double R Ranch]

Tried paint years ago. Went to patches and haven't looked back.
Have learned how to read the patches over the years to decipher tree or tail swishing marks or how much the animal has been ridden. Estrotech has greatly improved the sticky thankfully. No longer have to add glue to get them to stay on. Even in rainy weather.
A tip is we clip the hair spot at vaccination time so the hair is short but growing back and they stick way better at breeding time. (Usually a month later)

I found that just brushing the spot and having the tags warm (I leave them over the defroster duct in the winter) and they're almost impossible to get off. That's when I discovered that using a knife and sort of shaving/cutting the hair get's them off.

During the winter I put them in my shirt to warm them. Definitely helps!