[white-blazes]

Hello all

Tomorrow I'm getting two weaners which will be for the freezer.  We've been preparing the area for weeks and heard about a litter on Monday, so taking delivery tomorrow.

Apparently they aren't tagged, as I'm told they don't have to be if under a year old?

But we need tags before they go to the abatoir yes?  So if I ring Defra, and they send them out, is it us that put them in, or is a vet needed?

thanks in advance.

[HappyHippy]

Hiya,
The first thing to check is that you've got your CPH number ?
Once your pigs arrive, send a copy of the movement licence to your local trading standards and contact your nearest Animal health office to get your herd number allocated. This is the number that will need to go on the pigs when they go to slaughter, they don't need to be tagged, they can be slapmarked instead, but it's probably cheaper to tag (especially if someone close to you has tag applicators you can borrow) You'll need to order the tags yourself - there are many companies who sell them, supplies for smallholders sell them in lower quantities than some. It's best to fit the metal tags (many abattoirs won't take the plastic ones, but check with your local one to be certain) just the day before they go otherwise they can get ripped back out again.
HTH
Karen

[white-blazes]

Thank you Karen.  We have the CPH number, have the herd number, everything is ready for their arrival.  

So, they don't need tags until the go to slaughter, so I can order them from Defra say, and not put them in till the time comes?

If so, that's brill, thank you.

Heather

[littlemisspiggy!]

theres a great guy on e bay called 'tags r us' he sells applicators and tags for a really good price and he's very very nice and helpful if you e mail him any questions..you wont get tags from defra thats not what they do...but for £25 we got the applicator and 10 tags of this guy..x.x.x.

[HappyHippy]

These are the kind of tags you'll need https://www.suppliesforsmallholders.co.uk/qwiksilver-stainless-steel-pig-tag-tags-p-1307.html as LMP says, you'll not get them from DEFRA, but there are loads of places that sell them. I think there were even some listed on ebay - just google pig ear tags 
You don't need to order them until closer to the time - just as long as you don't forget about them until the last minute.
Karen x

[white-blazes]

Sorry, I never meant Defra, it's the local Animal Health Office, who sent me out all the Defra info packs.

Thanks for the Ebay link, I'll have a gander.

[benkt]

Interested to see the advice to ear tag them the day before they go off - we had our first lot last year and after the struggle to tag them when they were big I'd sworn to do them early whilst they are still manageable this year. If you do tag them later, in the end we found it easiest to feed them loads and then do it quickly whilst they are distracted.

[HappyHippy]

The metal tags for slaughter are a bit different to the plastic tags used for pedigree or other ID.
With the plastic tags (button tags) I'd always say earlier rather than later as the pigs ears thicken quite quickly and it makes them harder to go in (lesson learned the hard way with a young boar who should have been done months previously ) but the metal tags are more prone to catching and pulling imho, plus they are very sharp compared to the button tags and are fitted on the edge of the ear, I prefer to wait to the day they go, or the day before that way I know there's less chance of having to re-tag them
Karen x

[oaklandspigs]

Agree with HH on plastic tags early, metal tags late.  

Also if you put metal tags in when they are young you have to allow for ear growth, as metal wrap around the ear.  I had to remove a tag on welfare grounds from a pig we acquired who had be badly metal tagged at 8 weeks.

Also means you can tag on the botton of the ear (thinner part), which you wouldn't want to do earlier as much more likely they will pull it out.

[white-blazes]

Thanks again for the advice, interesting to learn and pick up on ideas from experiences you've had

If mine are just for the freezer, then we don't  need to plastic tag them then no?  Just metal before they go, and they're not too hard to go in no?

[Fowgill Farm]

Just to clarify white blazes Neither DEFRA or AH issue tags.
You buy them yourself and they have your herd number AB1234 and start at 001 generally.
Speak to SFS on here he'll keepyou right.
HTH
Mandy
PS Try reaadin Getting started section on GOS website it will explain a lot
www.oldspots.org.uk
 

[white-blazes]

Thanks FF

[little blue]

hello and welcome

[white-blazes]

hello and welcome

Hellooooo, and thank you 

[nails]

Welcome white-blazes, don't forget the pictures.
I got our ear tags from a company called Shearwells found them the cheapest got 25 tags and applicator for about £18 they were cheaper that Tags r us