Tagging calves

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Most operations tag calves, it comes in handy if they have to be sorted and sent to different pastures or to keep track of doctoring sick ones. I haven't dangle tagged calves for a few years, my cows remain in one group year round. If one is doctored it gets a grease crayon Mark. At branding time the calves get an RFID tag( mandatory here for traceability before transport off the place)

Curious about rfid and the benefits. I have a 65 head operation, 3/4 of my herd are registered. I have a gentleman who buys my calves, they have to be a year old and 700 lbs. I castrate the bull calves and bring them to the sale barn at between 400 and 600 lbs. is rfid worth my time and money?
 
Several years ago I had a calf crawl through the fence, and a neighbor picked up the calf. I had to pick it up from him and then locate the mother. Having the mom's number on its tag help locate mama, and reunite the baby with her. I like having my name and number printed on the tags as well. Although the last couple years I have not been able to order any replacement tags. Last year the outfit I was ordering them from had a shortage of tags, and this year they are retooling. I am probably not going to get any printed tags again this year.
 
Although the last couple years I have not been able to order any replacement tags. Last year the outfit I was ordering them from had a shortage of tags, and this year they are retooling. I am probably not going to get any printed tags again this year.
I had a hard enough time ordering plain tags this year. Couldn't get them through Valley Vet or most of the websites I use to order, ended up getting them off Amazon.
 
I had a hard enough time ordering plain tags this year. Couldn't get them through Valley Vet or most of the websites I use to order, ended up getting them off Amazon.
We are buying the engravable cow tags and enough calf tags for anything that might make a replacement heifer. Z tag feedlot tags for the rest of the calves. We like to leave the calf tags in heifers as one can tell who their Ma is easily. Drawback has been that the feedlot tags rarely last past the third year. My book keeping partner can't and won't deal with letters for years so we just replace tag numbers from cows culled and add a year number at the top.
 
We are buying the engravable cow tags and enough calf tags for anything that might make a replacement heifer. Z tag feedlot tags for the rest of the calves. We like to leave the calf tags in heifers as one can tell who their Ma is easily. Drawback has been that the feedlot tags rarely last past the third year. My book keeping partner can't and won't deal with letters for years so we just replace tag numbers from cows culled and add a year number at the top.
I switched to Y-Tex a long time ago because the Z tags kept breaking. And yet, I still have to switch out the tags because the ink fades - even the stuff that claims to last forever. Might have to invest in a Dremel.
 

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