The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: kanisha on June 08, 2011, 12:05:59 pm

Title: electronic chips
Post by: kanisha on June 08, 2011, 12:05:59 pm
Hi, we haven't yet implemented a chipping system for ouessants in France but I'm curious to know if anyone has read their sheeps chip and what is the actual number recorded on it. Ie we have a flock number here but it seems even the electronic chips are just numbered 10001 to 1020 is the flock number recorded as well or just the rising numerical number?

thanks
Title: Re: electronic chips
Post by: OhLaLa on June 08, 2011, 12:26:08 pm
Have you checked the back of the eartag as well as the front?

I'll have a look at mine to double check and get back to you, but I think both tags have the holding number and then the number of the individual sheep, eg 0001, 0002 etc. One ear the usual square tag, the other with the same info but a round electronic tag to the front.

If you haven't bought the tags yet, get the tool at the same time, as some of the old tools don't fit them.

Your local AIAM office should have a good glossy info booklet (free), and the tags come with info as to where to place them in ear etc.

Hope this helps a bit.

 :sheep:
Title: Re: electronic chips
Post by: kanisha on June 08, 2011, 12:45:05 pm
Hi thanks I was wondering if anyone had actually scanned their chip to read the number electronically.
Title: Re: electronic chips
Post by: OhLaLa on June 08, 2011, 03:30:28 pm
Ah. Nope, haven't got a scanner nor a need for one so wouldn't be able to check that for you.

 :sheep:   :farmer:
Title: Re: electronic chips
Post by: PDO_Lamb on June 08, 2011, 11:41:39 pm
In Scotland (possibly the UK) the eid numbers are allocated from a central database. Each eid has a number string made up of the flock number followed by the individual tag number. When a flock owner orders a batch of tags from a supplier, it is the supplier who applies to the central database for the next available sequence of numbers to program into the chips. In theory you can't order a set of duplicate numbers if you forget the what you have already received
Title: Re: electronic chips
Post by: SallyintNorth on June 08, 2011, 11:51:24 pm
No scanner here either but I have watched the scanners work at the local auction mart.

Visually, the paired tags (one electronic one not) will have the flock number on one side and a sequential number on the other; where tags have an 'inside' and 'outside' (the ear) then the flock number seems to be inside and the individual number outside.  (So far as the tags I have looked at, anyways.)

Slaughter tags (single electronic tag, suitable for lambs under 12 months old and destined to be slaughtered under 12 months old) show the flock number on one side only and are blank on the other.  Where tags have an 'inside' and 'outside' (the ear) then the flock number is outside.

Electronically both types come up with "flock number individual number", the individual number is stored electronically only on the slaughter tag but is visible on the two paired tags as well as electronically on the yellow member of the pair.

We have not used slaughter tags and I do not know if the sequence of numbers is the same or different for the two types.  I suspect it is one sequence, so that for instance, if you buy 50 pairs and 50 slaughter tags, you'll get 00001 to 00050 on the pairs and (invisibly) 00051 to 00100 on the slaughter tags.  If not then I cannot for the life of me tell you how the readers know whether it's a paired tag or a slaughter tag.

I will stop now as I am losing the will to live.
Title: Re: electronic chips
Post by: PDO_Lamb on June 09, 2011, 08:01:55 am
My single slaughter tags were numbered were numbered in a sequence between two between batches of twin eid tags. I have been very pleased with tags supplied by TagFaster. First because they arrived less than 48hrs after ordering on line. (I never remember to order until the day I actually need them), Second, because the applicator worked well and third, because they offer a range of colours for the twin eid tags so I can use a different colour for each year.

http://www.clubtags.co.uk/tagfast-eartags-27-c.asp (http://www.clubtags.co.uk/tagfast-eartags-27-c.asp)       is the URL to their ordering page, where you have the option to buy blocks of 20, single slaughter tags or blocks of 10 pairs of twin eid tags.
Title: Re: electronic chips
Post by: VSS on June 09, 2011, 09:56:21 am
Slaughter tags are not supposed to have individual numbers on them. That is what makes then different from full eid tags. UK flock number only,
Title: Re: electronic chips
Post by: kanisha on June 09, 2011, 11:48:10 am
thanks for that all very useful. although I don't generallly have to worry about slaughter tags.
Title: Re: electronic chips
Post by: PDO_Lamb on June 09, 2011, 06:29:12 pm
My slaughter tags are only printed with the flock number but if you scan the eid they each have an individual number on the chip in the same format as the twin eid sets.