Scrapie tagging/tattooing question

[CoffeeCow]

We only have 2 goats, but we were thinking of moving and one of the requirements to move goats is to have them tagged or tattoo'd for scrapie. I got all the info and contacted the USDA, they sent me an information packet and a set of tags for the goats (Even had a tagging tool). But, seeing as how our goats are pets, I would rather tattoo them instead of piercing their ears. I emailed the USDA and they said it was fine to tattoo instead.
Now, here's my question.

My herd ID number is 9 characters long.. (I don't know if I should post it?) but it has 2 letters (NC) and 7 digits (including 3 0's) While looking for a tattoo gun, I could only find single digit, 4 digit, and I found one 5 digit... I don't want to keep the goat trapped and in pain while I reload the gun 3-4 times to tattoo it... Is there a gun that does 9 characters? or what tattoo guns do you use?

Please help me out a little

ooh, and my goats are pygmy/boer crosses, they are just starting to get their beards and should weigh 75-80lbs or so when fully grown.

 

[CoffeeCow]

ooh, that is 9 characters on one ear, and the herd number on the other (4 digits)

So if I got a tattooer that did 4 characters, I would have to reset it 4 times per goat... Trying to avoid that hehe

 

[Southern by choice]

The tags are less stressful- 1prick and you are done. Why mess with all the tattooing if you don't have to? Tattoos also fade, it's messy and IMO hurts a lot more.
Is there a reason you don't want to use the tags? Always helpful to hear what others think and do.
I just got my tags in, I don't want to do it but it is the law so there ya go...

 

[CoffeeCow]

As I said, they are pets, and we like petting their ears It is purely a cosmetic reason, nothing more.

 

[CoffeeCow]

here is what I have found so far, it has 5 digits, so that means 3 reloads per goat =/

http://hambydairysupply.com/xcart/product.php?productid=1816

On the plus side, it comes with 2 sets of numbers and a set of letters a-z
and has an ear release.

I would like to see what everyone else uses, and how many digits they hold.

 

[Southern by choice]

Thanks, I'm with you .... I don't like how they look either! I am a little irritated that when I bought my first goats they were not tagged, but in my own ignorance I didn't know they should have been. I had wondered about it and tried to get info but it was really the people on BYH that gave me the info and the links. THANKS BYH's!
Still trying to figure out how to tag a Lamancha- USDA rep really couldn't tell me what to do...maybe tattooing the tail?

I noticed you are in NC, me too!

 

[CoffeeCow]

Yeah, we are in little Washington, pretty close to Greenville.

For a LaMancha, here is a way to tattoo the tail, and make a nifty green butted goat

http://fiascofarm.com/goats/tattoo.htm

 

[Fullhousefarm]

We are getting our LaMancha tattooed by hand in two weeks- we shall see how it goes. The farm we got our LaMancha from has someone that does it about twice a year for them and they look so much nicer. And, yes, in the tail web.

There is a chance that we will take our Boer wethers to the fair, and if we do, then will have him tattooed as well. He's just a pet, and with kids and such I don't want to risk his ear tag getting pulled out and/or stuck and ripping his ear.

 

[20kidsonhill]

I don't beleive there are any with more than 5 tattoo spaces. It certainly is up to you to not want tags, but speaking from experience it is a very very painful experience for them. Especially as they get a little older. You have to have a very very good grip on them. I am very good at holding them for all sorts of things, but I am giving you the heads up that they wouldn't act any worse if you were trying to cut a leg off. No I am not joking. So First be sure that is what you want to do, 3 times on each goat.

Get green ink in a tube, works the best and is easiest to read.
Wear old clothes, because the ink will stain yoru clothes, but does wash off your skin easily.

Be prepared to hold on tight, put a halter on them, and stand over them, with there head coming through your legs to the front of you, Lift the front end of them up a little, so they don't have all four legs on the ground, Squeeze them very very tightly between your legs, just above your knees. Wrap the halter's lead tightly around one hand and hold on very very tightly with both hands on their head. Have the tattoo person count down, so you know when to be ready.

I do the same for taggin, but it last 1 second and is over, With tattooing, you have to really squeeze the tattooer, then either reload or have other tattoo handles sitting there already loaded. It is possible to put them on upside down, so the tattoo handle should be facing downwards when tattooing. When standing in front of them with the ear outward, you should be reading it just like words on the page, Left to right.

Not trying to talk you out of it, just a heads up.

We used to tattoo at just a couple weeks old, then we decided to do it right before they left the farm(3 to 6 months of age, so their years would be bigger and thinking the tattoo would last longer on them. We are very experienced with livestock and we were not prepared the fight that these 50 to 80lb kids were going to give us.

Good luck on your decision. We have to tattoo for registration, but we also put in USDA tagsa nd our goats also have individual identification numbers, so some of our goats have tattoos in both ears and a tag in both of their ears. Tagging is 1,000 times faster and easier.

 

[Straw Hat Kikos]

I completely agree with everything you said. You said it well and everything is true. Tagging is MUCH easier and less painful. The only thing I differ on is that instead of holding them between your legs for tattooing, put them in a stand. That is best imo. But like she said, if you have to do one or the other tagging is the way to go.