[musicmadcook]

We have three 'oprhan' lambs which we purchased around Easter this year. We have read and applied all the information we can find for keeping them fit, fat and healthy. Soon they could be shuffling off to the freezer BUT do we need to change their ear tags from the original ones that the breeder installed when they were born?

[fsmnutter]

If under a year old the eartags (single slaughter tags most likely) the breeder put in are fine. If kept over a year you need to be sure they have 2 tags each.
You need to record the movement in your holding register and fill in the paperwork as you did when they arrived.
The abattoir will likely have additional paperwork for you too.
Enjoy them, home reared is always the best!

[Marches Farmer]

If they're over a year old and you need to replace the single slaughter tag with double i.d. tags you need to record this in the Replacement Tags section of your Holding Register.

[musicmadcook]

Thanks guys. That's really useful information that I couldn't find anywhere else.

My next question ... how do you get the old ones out (they have one in each ear) without causing them (or me) too much stress?

[Bionic]

We got some out by cutting through them with secateurs. I know its not the right thing but they did the job and didn't seem to cause any problems for the sheep.

[Penninehillbilly]

If they have 2, and they are going for slaughter under a year old anyway you don't need to do anything with the tags. Thats their own numbers, full stop.
 
Copied from Defra website -
 Identifiers for lambs and kids intended for slaughter
If you intend to slaughter a lamb or kid (ie a sheep or goat that’s less than 12 months old), you can identify the animal with a single ear tag, instead of 2 identifiers.
The single ear tag only displays your flock or herd mark. It doesn’t display an individual identity number for the animal.
Slaughter ear tags are labelled in the 8 character format, UK 123456, where 123456 is the animal’s 6-digit flock or herd mark.
From the start of 2015, the single ear tag on slaughter lambs will be a yellow EID that contains an individual identification number which can be electronically scanned. The individual identification number won’t be displayed on the EID tag.
You can continue to use a single conventional (non-EID) ear tag for slaughter kids after 2015.
If you decide to keep a lamb or kid that’s identified by a single slaughter tag beyond a year old, you must replace it’s single tag with a pair of identifiers before its first birthday.
If the lamb or kid is no longer on the holding where it was born, you can only do this if you can individually trace the animal back to its holding of birth.
 
actually just realised it says 'kids' not lambs, so are yours eid tags?
 
'If the lamb or kid is no longer on the holding where it was born, you can only do this if you can individually trace the animal back to its holding of birth'.
why can't you just get red? replacement tags if you can't trace to birth holding?

[harmony]

Why is it necessary to take out the tag/tags they arrived with? Should a lamb not keep it's original tag from it''s place of birth throughout it's life and to remove it is illegal?

[Marches Farmer]

Provided they keep both tags I believe one set will do for life.  We had an RPA sheep inspection the other day and the only two sheep we have not born on the holding (our senior rams) were read without comment.

[Backinwellies]

If they are double tagged just leave them alone.

http://www.shearwell.co.uk/Content/DOWNLOADS/Summary%20of%20Tagging%20and%20Recording%20Regulations%20April%202014.pdf

[musicmadcook]

Ooo, sounds like a can of worms!!

They have two tags each and one of them (each) is a yellow EID tag. I have the paperwork from when I moved them from the breeder, so that will do? A copy of the paperwork was sent in so if the abattoir scans the tag they should get information to say 'moved to my smallholding ..... whenever this year'. Cool.

We are not sure about whether all three or just two will be sent 'away' soon as we then end up with one on its own. We think there was an error when we purchased them as we were meant to get three boys and got two boys and a girl. The boys were fitted with castration bands and they have done their job but we are reluctant to 'process' a ewe as she could go on to become part of our breeding stock. Decisions, decisions.

One thought we have had is to keep the boys until next year when we can get some more lambs or a ewe and lamb, 'process' the boys and get our ewe pregnant next autumn. 

[Penninehillbilly]

tags and paperwork sounds fine, just fill your part of the movement licence in before you set off.
If it was my choice I'd send just one boy in, that leaves girl+boy to keep each other company, not a problem if ring has done it's job. other boy can go in next year when you've got some more.

[musicmadcook]

As an update: we are on to plan C now which is to get another Ewe 'lamb' of the same age and breed as our current flock. That will bring us to four in total, two boys, two girls. We process the boys when we are ready and that leaves the two teenage girls to keep over winter and into next year when they can get pregnant next autumn, and we'll worry about the ear tags when we are ready to send the boys.
 

[fsmnutter]

Sounds spot on. As the boys have two tags each, one of each being eid, you don't have to worry about the tags at all! Just use those numbers on the relevant movement documents to the abattoir and record on your holding register.