Baymule’s Journal

[canesisters]

I have NO DOUBT that you WILL have that beautiful new barn by fall

 

[Ridgetop]

That is why I don't put the year on the preprinted tags. We don't put flock tags on ram lambs that are going to auction. We put scrapie tags on everyone, then a flock tag on ewe lambs. I only register ewe lambs unless I have a buyer for a ram. You can figure the number of bred and figure you will have 3 surviving registerable lambs for every 2 ewes. Tg the ewe lambs first, then the ram lambs, and if you have a surplus don't tag the ones you are selling for meat. Texas (like most states) requires a scrapie tag so you can use that # when selling. Since the preprinted tags come in 25 number counts, you will spend a lot of money on tags with birth years preprinted if you don't have that many lambs born. While I like our colored tag system because it allows me to instantly judge which ram is throwing the type I want, my mistake was in ordering the same numbers for each color. I should have used a different first number to differentiate. But then you start having numbers running pretty long. It won't be as bad with colored sheep as it is with white sheep. I do recognize some of the ewes by the shape of their head and their conformation but if your ram is genetically preponderant and throws his type, it can get harder. The last sets of tags I ordered I got from valley vet - they will print the flock name on the tags above the number - there is no additional charge.

Everyone uses a different system. You have to use ne that works for you. Remember the first few generations will be your seed stock. Yu will probably tweak your tags and tagging system over the years.

We have lost a number of ear tags on our sheep and keep a list of tag numbers - both flock tags and Scrapie tags - since sometimes we have to use the scrapie numbers to identify a ewe with a missing tag. We no longer retag with a different number tag in that color. Instead, we keep a set of blank tags and retag the ewes with her own number written on the blank tag. We are losing fewer tags now that we tag the ear up closer to the head. Still can be a problem. I may start ordering small amounts of colored blank tags but as I add rams they will need their own assigned sire color.

When we had rabbits, I would tattoo the buck's initial followed by the dam's initial then a number - odd numbers for bucks and even for does. Dairy goats had a tattoo requirement which made it easy to follow. We also used jumbo size metal washers to thread onto their chain collars and stamped their name and DOB on them for instant access in the show ring.

 

[Baymule]

The Covington’s use blank tags with HSC printed on them, then write the number with a pen from Premiere1. I’m thinking on doing the same thing. Scrapie tag in one ear registration number in the other ear.


Does anybody put scrapie number on registration tag?

 

[Margali]

The Covington’s use blank tags with HSC printed on them, then write the number with a pen from Premiere1. I’m thinking on doing the same thing. Scrapie tag in one ear registration number in the other ear.


Does anybody put scrapie number on registration tag?

Bluestem does. If you looke at your ewe's tag on inside ear part it has TX scrapies number.

 

[Baymule]

Bluestem does. If you looke at your ewe's tag on inside ear part it has TX scrapies number.

The ewe I have was the first one born on their place. She has a small metal tag on one ear. I think that’s her scrapie tag, not that you could read it, it’s so small. I’ll check the other tag.

 

[Baymule]

It’s raining! It may not last long, it it’s raining. Might be the last rain party for awhile, we go back to 100F next week.

 

[Ridgetop]

I use scrapie tags on everyone born on the property. I use flock tags just on the keepers - mainly ewes. If you lose one tag you have the other to identify the animal.

 

[Ridgetop]

Those pens from Premier will fade eventually so if your animals are tame you will want to take the pen out and rewrite in a year or so.

 

[farmerjan]

We have found that the pens from Y-Tex, the ink stays on the cattle ear tags... Many of the pens come with 2 different tips so you can write in smaller finer #'s... you just pull out the tip and put in the other one before you do the initial inking....also, the Z pen by Farnum (yellow outside of pen) also holds the color good..... the all-flex pens do not hold their black color near as well... and certain of the all-flex ear tags will fade out more than other colors. We get blank tags and write numbers for the calves... sometimes use the dam's number with the year as the first number... so all this spring's calves start with 3... but if we have a bunch and they are just getting worked through the chute they get #'s starting with the year, and go on up from "301" to whatever...
All our heifer calves get green and the steers get yellow... then when they get matched to the cow... if it is one of my calves, they will get a white tag after they get weaned if I am keeping them.

 

[CLSranch]

I have to ask. What is a scrapie tag?