# Where to tag?



## SheepGirl (Oct 9, 2012)

My ewe has lost two scrapie tags. I want to put in a new one while it's relatively chilly out (no flies) because I do take my sheep places so it's important for everyone to have a scrapie tag in case I have to have a substitute. And I like the look of a tag in each ear 

I got new scrapie tags in the mail, so instead of being the rectangular ones, it's a triangular tag. So my question is where to put the tag? I don't want to put it too close to her head because that's where the ear tissue is thick (and will thus be harder to tag), but as I move away from the head, the rips in her ear leave no place for a tag. So I'm thinking maybe in the dead center of her ear (then again there's a vein there) or to the left of her bottom rip? The little triangle part at the end of her ear is a definite no-go because it's floppy and I don't think it could support the weight of a tag...plus I think it would fall out there.

What do you think?


----------



## Straw Hat Kikos (Oct 9, 2012)

I like mine best in the middle of the ear where it is really recommended to be placed. However it can not always go there. If you need to tattoo then you have to put it closer to the end of the ear and if they are young when you tag them then it is easier to put it at the end because you won't hit a blood vessel. I like where Moses' is the best. I have does that have theirs almost at the end of their ear but I'm not a fan of it there. They are tattooed and not microchipped as Moses is.

I really have no idea where I would put it in her ear. If you can I would just put it in her other ear.

Do sheep rip theirs all the time. I almost never see a goat that ripped their ear tag out but I see it with sheep all the time.










hah he was young in these.


----------



## SheepGirl (Oct 9, 2012)

Straw Hat Kikos said:
			
		

> Do sheep rip theirs all the time.


Nope, she's the only sheep I've had that has ripped out TWO tags, let alone one. Her farm tag has been in for over 6 yrs. I don't know how she managed to lose her scrapie tags. I'm not looking at my records right now, but the first one was put in probably March/April 2010 and the second probably sometime before Sept 2011 (she lost it at the fair last year).

But I would put it in her other ear, but all my ewes have the scrapie tags in their right ear and then Hank (the ram) has his in his left ear. So I wanna keep with that ewe/right - ram/left theme lol.


----------



## Straw Hat Kikos (Oct 9, 2012)

> But I would put it in her other ear, but all my ewes have the scrapie tags in their right ear and then Hank (the ram) has his in his left ear. So I wanna keep with that ewe/right - ram/left theme lol.


hah Me too!! Moses has his in his left ear and all my does have it in their right ear. When I tag my kids I will do bucks on the left and does in the right.


----------



## SheepGirl (Oct 9, 2012)

Straw Hat Kikos said:
			
		

> > But I would put it in her other ear, but all my ewes have the scrapie tags in their right ear and then Hank (the ram) has his in his left ear. So I wanna keep with that ewe/right - ram/left theme lol.
> 
> 
> hah Me too!! Moses has his in his left ear and all my does have it in their right ear. When I tag my kids I will do bucks on the left and does in the right.


Oops I switched it  My ewes have their ear tags in their LEFT ear, but when looking at me straight on, it's on the right. lol i'm such a dork.

but yeah I figured when I tag my lambs as they come out of the jug I will keep tag placement the same so it's easy to tell from a distance who is what haha. Though it probably won't make much of a difference to me  Even when my neighbor had a flock of 40 ewes, I could easily point out who is who and say when they were born and how many lambs they've had...it was always easy because they were all crossed up and so they all had different body types and wool on their faces. I still remember #32, she was born in 2005, and she lambed 3x before my neighbor shipped her (because he was moving)...a set of twins (boy/girl), then triplets (3 boys, one was pulled and bottle fed), and lastly a BIG single ewe lamb. I could always point her out because she had such an ugly face and she was the biggest bodied 1/2 Mont ewe my neighbor had. lol


----------



## secuono (Oct 9, 2012)

My ram and one of my ewe's have lost their tags. I don't want deformed sheep running around with bleeding ears, so I don't bother re-tagging them. But if you're taking them off the property, I guess you gotta follow the law at that point. 

I guess goats don't pull them because their ears are so large, like dog ears on some. Plus the tags I see are always at the center, must be harder to pull out like that. Honestly, I rather tattoo my sheep a scrapie #, they really need to change that to allow it! Who cares about the wool, if it's found to be infected, they will end up handling the flock anyway[or kill them all off], how hard would it be for them to shave an ear, c'mon!


----------



## BrownSheep (Oct 9, 2012)

I do mine similar to Straw Hat. As close to the cent while avoiding the vien. Where her ear is so whole I would do it in the bottom half nice and close to the head. About 1/2 from the exisiting whole and up a bit. Where she is pulling her tag so much I would consider a) tattooing if you can or b) neck tags that you can put on just while off the farm. Kid of like these http://www.premier1supplies.com/det...28&P1SSESSID=8fa63511f69b0111b30895c7859084de
 I have had ewes do it on fences and gates...mainly just getting their head stuck.


----------



## aggieterpkatie (Oct 10, 2012)

If you have to do it in the same ear, I'd do it in either spot below.






But since you know your flock and can tell them apart, if her other ear is intact, I'd tag her in her other ear.


----------



## secuono (Oct 10, 2012)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> If you have to do it in the same ear, I'd do it in either spot below.
> 
> http://i111.photobucket.com/albums/n143/aggieterpkatie/4485_dscn5791c.jpg
> 
> But since you know your flock and can tell them apart, if her other ear is intact, I'd tag her in her other ear.


I believe that bottom red spot is where I tagged each of my lambs as they sold. 

Here is a thread that talks about where to tag. I remember those 3 black lines and the red X. 
http://www.backyardherds.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=19682&p=1


----------



## Straw Hat Kikos (Oct 10, 2012)

I agree with aggie.If I _had_ to do it in that ear I would put it right at the top red dot.


----------



## RemudaOne (Oct 10, 2012)

I'd go with the top dot as well


----------



## Cornish Heritage (Oct 15, 2012)

Oh it is SO annoying when they lose their tags. We only had a couple do it last year but even still.... For this next set of lambs, due hopefully very soon, we are going to tattoo & tag so that if they lose their farm tag at least they still have the tattoo. We only put a Scrapie tag in if the sheep leave the farm - Missouri laws so the ones that stay here to breed do not need one, unless of course we sell it later. 

Liz


----------



## Queen Mum (Oct 15, 2012)

My goats always are microchipped so they don't require a tag,  AND since La Manchas don't have ears  there is no place to put a tag, anyway.  HOWEVER, for the benefit of buyers, all my goats have collars and a collar name/ID tag along with a Scrappie tag affixed to the collar at sale time.       

I keep meticulous records and that is the key.


----------



## Cornish Heritage (Oct 16, 2012)

> I keep meticulous records and that is the key.


Absolutely right! Good for you. We also keep detailed records - way too many critters here for the memory to remember it all the time PLUS by keeping good records when a customer calls you in 2 years wanting to add to their herd you can look back to see what they purchased. 

I like the ear tags for visibility reasons - easy to see in the field but I also like your idea of collars & tags as long as the animal is friendly enough so that when the collar needs to be adjusted it is not too stressful. 

Liz


----------

