Author Topic: Pastern tags (now with a bolus) (Read 5044 times)

Christian · « **on:** July 29, 2014, 09:57:32 pm »

Never give up...
Our idea of tagging our girls (still 5 months and 30 days old) using a combination of pastern tags and tattoo has failed at first hurdle - animal health (Ayr) (why Ayr - don't know) has hit us with the book. However, a few days ago at Kelso show, we were told that there is a new regulation that would allow us to avoid all ear tagging - a combination of a (black) pastern tag and a bolus (http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2013/09/3501/8). Cool. Sheep people are not impressed, because they still have to use an ear-tag, but we won't. Because, umm, sheep are not goats.
Now - we've have tried our favorite web browser and failed (got used to it) - does anybody use / produce boluses (boli?) for identification? Do we need a vet for this? Any good reason why not to go there?

All the very best,
Christian & Nikki at desperate smallholders, tweetsmuir

Anke · « **Reply #1 on:** July 29, 2014, 10:06:00 pm »

Who did you speak to at Kelso?

?

I use pastern tags and they are good so far! still need one ear tag (in theory.... $:-\$ ).

jinglejoys · « **Reply #2 on:** July 30, 2014, 05:43:20 pm »

Why on earth they should think it OK to use a bolus when you can't read the bloomin things without a reader I'm presuming and (as Mrs Beeton would say) first catch your goat but I'll leave that to the person checking them

I'm wary about pumpng things down the throat which you can't get out and I still remember reading the All creatures Great and Small books where various animals keeled over..I'm presuming we will not be allowed to do it ourselves and have to call a vet out...more money for them and then they will make a law preventing anyone but vets doing it and Hike the prices up again

ballingall · « **Reply #3 on:** July 30, 2014, 06:54:17 pm »

Christian was speaking to lots of people at Kelso, including me (briefly) and you too Anke...

Isn't it tempting to just buy a whole set of black Pastern tags and not bother with the bolus's?

Sorry, I'm not really being serious, but you could see the appeal.

Beth

Anke · « **Reply #4 on:** July 30, 2014, 07:19:59 pm »

Quote from: ballingall on July 30, 2014, 06:54:17 pm

Christian was speaking to lots of people at Kelso, including me (briefly) and you too Anke...

Beth

OK, I am sorry, blame the heat ... can't remember speaking to anyone about pastern tags $:-\$

Christian · « **Reply #5 on:** July 30, 2014, 07:57:31 pm »

Hi Anke - you're forgiven, I might have drained your brain regarding willow-herbs.

Anyway, if you follow the link on my original post, this is what Scottish Government says..

Quote

a bolus and an ear or pastern tag (the tag must be black) with the same unique 12-digit number

this is under the subheading of

Quote

Double identified: two non-electronic identifiers

which ain't totally right, but close....

There's some discussion about using a bolus in sheep, and they agree that owners won't need readers. The only thing they were worried about was carcass condemnation, but for me that sounds like small fry.

Any yes, I can see the appeal of not bothering with the bolus (still not sure about plural...)

Christian

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #6 on:** July 30, 2014, 10:29:32 pm »

Can I show my ignorance? What is a bolus? I googled it but the answers I got can't be right.

jinglejoys · « **Reply #7 on:** August 01, 2014, 12:22:47 pm »

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BftJMt-39e0 found this if its any help,its for the trace element ones but I'm presuming the principle is the same

Lesley Silvester · « **Reply #8 on:** August 01, 2014, 03:55:30 pm »

Thanks for this but I still don't see how it can be useful for identification. They look awfully big.

Anke · « **Reply #9 on:** August 01, 2014, 04:26:18 pm »

From what I have heard goats' oesophagus is a lot more sensitive than a sheep's or indeed a cow's. I would not use one in mine.

I actually do oppose the use of microchips as identification, as they are known to wander about the animal and I really do not want to eat them... (the microchips that is, I do eat some of my goats). And that is the problem - they need a quick identifier (visual as well as electronic in due course I think) - and tattoos are not quick to read (but are the only safe and permanent option). I hope that pastern tags become more established and two of them should provide the same level of identification and degree of permanence as do ear tags....

Actually the interesting thing is how many goats are "lost" each year, especially at the abattoir as they go in on sheep tags, and in my case the boys @ 10 months go with slaughter tags, so I bet they are recorded as sheep... $:-\$

jinglejoys · « **Reply #10 on:** August 01, 2014, 05:26:26 pm »

I shouldn't think the Microchip bolus is as big as the trace mineral one though however I don't like the thought of dumping objects down the throat and wish they would use ankle tags

sokel · « **Reply #11 on:** August 01, 2014, 06:40:08 pm »

I actually like Microchips although at the moment only vets can do it on goats.
I have chipped over 300 domestic pets in the last 2 years and not one has migrated, Paddy was done by a vet and his is now half way down his front leg

If animals are chipped between the shoulder blades at the right angle they should not move

sandcroft · « **Reply #12 on:** August 24, 2014, 11:47:55 pm »

One must remember that it is required for all equines to be microchipped and a few of them end up in the food chain.
The correct place to microchip a goat (despite what the dozy efforts at DEFRA would have you believe) is in the base of the tail (not in the groin area). It will not migrate from there and, as the the tail is connected to the spine and therefore SRM, the chip is completely removed when the carcase is being dressed..