Ear tag information

[DB]

I was wondering what information everyone puts on their ear tags?  You put the sire name on it and then do you put the sire of the cow on it as well? I know you put D.O.B on it...

Also I was wondeing, I know that you are to put it between I think the 2nd and 3rd rib in the ear but what happens if you don't get it in the right place inthe ear?????? Bleeding or whatever else?  Just figuring out how hard it is to ear tag......
TThanks for all the information...

 

[Show Heifer]

I put cow number, and calf number (in birth order).....
If you don't get the tag in the "exact" spot, the ear might droop and bleed. If that happens, you simply cut the tag out and try again (it will droop after a day or so). Also, make sure the calf tag isn't too big. I usually stick with the 3 star size for newborns. The other key is to get it reasonably close to the head.... at least half  or closer to head, but not closer than 2 inches to the head.
Tagging a calf isn't too tough, you will be fine!

 

[Silver]

I just give them the same number as there mom, but the number of the month on it and write the sire on the back. I right down exact dob and notes on each calf in my records after that though. Tagging isn't really hard at all, you'll be fine.

 

[Aussie]

Tagging isn't really hard at all, you'll be fine.

Unless you are calving EXT daughters then you need to be very quick and very sneaky apart from that I do the same as Silver.

 

[kk]

Top:sire name
Middle:cow number
Bottom:calf number in order of birth followed by letter of year

This system is fairly easy and works pretty well

 

[kfacres]

to much on a tag makes it hard to read for those of us with bad eyes.  when I was younger, I used to put it all on.. but now, I don't.  Can't hardly read the tags anyways...

I switched a while back and used 2 tags.. one with the number BIG, and the other black with all that other crap on it, and the number little.. worked ok, but gets expensive after a while. 

Now, we just color code tags based upon sires, and leave the numbers big and the only thing on them.  I have written the DOB on the back of the tag though, so that in a chute you can flip it over and read it. 

We use a different numbering system..  our old tattoo cow is 241K, so her calves are just put the year in front of it.. like 9241 for a 09 calf of hers.  so you know the mother, or atleast the cow family that it originates from.  this works pretty good for a system of 30 cows or so... 

 

[Silver]

Tagging isn't really hard at all, you'll be fine.

Unless you are calving EXT daughters then you need to be very quick and very sneaky apart from that I do the same as Silver.

Yeah for those you just pull them up onto the four wheeler with you and take off, then you go to the other end of the field tag them and then return them.

 

[JSchroeder]

I've seen BW written on the back of the tag at a lot of seedstock operations.

 

[blackcows]

to much on a tag makes it hard to read for those of us with bad eyes.  when I was younger, I used to put it all on.. but now, I don't.  Can't hardly read the tags anyways...

I was thinking the exact same thing. 

I have a friend that runs a lot of cows and he puts the heifer tags in the left ear and the bull tags in the right.

 

[Rocky Hill Simmental]

Top: Abbreviation of Sire's Name
Bottom: Calf birth year letter, cow birth year letter, cow family number (this is also their tattoo)