Eartags
November 2009
Recently
there have been some comments posted on the Pygmy Goat Chat
Group about torn ears, caused by inappropriate (?) eartags.
I suggested
that the tags that had been applied were possibly unsuitable
for the very small ears of a pygmy kid.
My own
experience, after experimenting with different tags, is that
the smaller lamb tags with a finer ‘stem’ are ideal.
Firstly
they are kinder to the kid as they punch a much smaller hole
through the ear.
Secondly,
if you snip the tag (which comes as a one piece wrap around)
so that it hangs in 2 pieces either side of the ear, there
is much less chance of the ear being torn because if the kid
gets it caught (usually in a fence or hayrack) then one side
of the tag simply feeds through the hole and you end up with
an empty hole in the ear.
Several of
my kids have done this and it means I have to replace with a
new tag but it is a very simple (and painless task) because
you can use the same hole. Much better than a torn ear in
my opinion.
I have used
the DEFRA website to find their approved
suppliers/manufacturers of eartags and will list below the
ones which sell tags suitable for sheep & goats. The tags
which I now use for my kids
(and
would recommend)
are called
‘D-tags’ and I get them from Daltons Ltd. They are available
from some of the other suppliers listed below (marked with a
+ ) but may be sold under a different name.
Approved
Suppliers
http://www.agriflex.co.uk/sheep.htm
+
http://www.allflex.co.uk/items/products/products_sheep.htm
+
http://www.coxagri.com/index.html
http://www.dalton.co.uk/ +
http://www.denimex.co.uk/
http://www.ewtag.com/index.htm
http://www.greenfarmhealth.co.uk/new-sheep-ear-tags +
http://www.ketchums.co.uk/page3.htm
http://www.thetags4u.com/gb/product.php?productid=16284&cat=283&page=1
+ (called ‘supersmall’ tag)
http://www.fearing.co.uk/new_tag_sheep.cns?cID=10
http://www.quicktag.co.uk/sheep_products.aspx?species=sheep®ion=Uk
Mainland + (called ‘Easytag’)
http://www.ritchey.co.uk/Sheep-Tags/default.aspx
http://www.shearwell.co.uk/catalogue/sheeptags.aspx
http://www.symtag.co.uk/pages/sheeptags
There are a
few other suppliers listed on the Defra website but they do
not have websites, also some others which only seem to sell
cattle tags. Below is a link to the Defra web page which
lists all the suppliers;
http://www.defra.gov.uk/foodfarm/farmanimal/movements/sheep/eartag-makers.htm
Hilary
Breakell
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