Tagging systems can provide lots of relevant information at a glance.
There are a wide range of systems and many are well thought out.
Some applications require multiple tags, especially when we consider the need to use RFID tags and age verify cattle.
These double or multiple tagging systems have some intrinsic benefits.
There are costs involved with all tagging systems, including the cost of tags, long-term investment in the tagger and the need to have extra pins plus an acceptable inventory of tags on hand.
Read Also
Bluefaced Leicester breed in a class all its own
The Bluefaced Leicester’s high-quality mothering skills and quality wool are some of the strong traits that make the breed a good addition to any operation.
For long-term use, the largest or maxi type tags offer the best visibility, especially if they are applied in cattle breeds that have lots of hair in their ears.
There are three main types of marking systems. Some tags are renumbered, some are engraved and others are marked with tag ink.
Renumbered tags are available off the shelf or they can be ordered ahead of time with specific farm information attached to them.
Tags marked with ink should have thick ink applied and all the relevant information can be applied to the front and even the back of tag.
With purebred producers, I have seen both the dam and sire numbers on the tag as well as the birthdate put on the back of the tag.
The dam’s number is good to have if mothering up the calf.
Over time even the best ink tags will fade and may need to be rejuvenated or at least wiped off when they come through the chute again.
Engraved tags are the most expensive but are pliable even in cold weather, and the readability is there for the life of the animal.
Use someone with good penmanship because the ability to read the tags is an integral part of using the system for yearly management.
Information contained on a tag will help producers decide which cows to cull, divide into breeding groups, artificially inseminate, foot trim, bring in for calving or treat.
Colours can be used in many different ways. Commercial producers may use different colours to quickly identify steers and heifers or different owners in a multiple owner operation.
If coloured and numbered tags are cross-referenced to the RFID tags, formal identification of an animal is easy if one of the tags is lost.
Feedlots may use different colours for the home pen location. This makes it easier to locate cattle at large.
Purebred breeders may use the colours to identify different breeds if more than one is run.
Other colours may identify percentage cattle or hybrid cattle.
With a lot of breeds having both red and black lines, the different colours are quite useful.
With a quick glance in the chute or at pasture, producers can glean a lot of information from the tag based on its colour.
Some producers place tags in the opposite ear.
Left tagged ears may be heifers and right may be steers. Purebred operators usually tag in the opposite ear as the tattoo. They may break from this to tag freemartins or definite culls in the tattoo ear.
Tattooing is mainly done in the right ear but a lot of Charolais and Salers cattle are tattooed in the left ear. Some producers use the letter system to denote the year an animal was born.
Simply remember the letters used in five year intervals and then fill in the blanks, remembering to delete the letters L, O, Q and V.
Using that system, the year 2000 is K, 2005 is R and 2010 X. At a glance, the age of any lettered animal is known.
Most purebred producers also match the tag number to the tattoo, which makes it easy when tags are lost. Find the brand of tag that works well and stick with it.
Application guns and the size of the pins vary so don’t mix and match.
Have spare pins and even a spare tagger on hand for big jobs. The last thing a producer needs is his entire operation slowed down because of tagger or pin failure.
Use the slotted tag cutters for removing old, damaged, faint or fly tags. They are much safer than cutting the tag out with a butcher knife and much quicker. The new tag can generally be placed right in the existing hole.
Always be careful working around the head, especially with fractious cows and bulls. Keep at arms length. Always have the tags ready and be prepared to retag a few animals every time cattle are processed.
Make use of the tags for other things. For culling, we usually make a notch in the bottom of the tag.
This brings the animals to our attention and encourages us to review the animal’s history in case it has slipped our minds.
When preparing marker (gomer) bulls, I generally notch the existing tag and we may put one in that says gomer on it.
By developing a reliable tagging system, mistakes are minimized and processing is easier, even for helpers who are not familiar with your herd.
Tags will become more important, not only as a herd management tool but also in establishing age verification and traceability systems, an important issue to marketers and the consumer.
Hopefully, retention issues will be addressed as manufacturers improve quality.
