The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: clareymason on September 17, 2011, 07:47:12 pm

Title: What is a 'starting number'
Post by: clareymason on September 17, 2011, 07:47:12 pm

Hi, I'm sure it's an obvious answer but I'm want to get it right. I'm about to take my first pigs to slaughter and am trying to order some metal ear tags for them but the tag company have asked me for a starting number. What is this?
Thanks  :pig:

Title: Re: What is a 'starting number'
Post by: robert waddell on September 17, 2011, 07:58:21 pm

the number you want to start from   that could be 1 or 01 or 001 depends how many you are going to eat in a lifetime or it could be 123 you have a choice :farmer:

Title: Re: What is a 'starting number'
Post by: Greenerlife on September 17, 2011, 08:46:26 pm

I've never heard of a starter number! (and I started four years ago). If you are putting tags in - surely they mean your herd number?  Two digit code for your county followed by a four digit number specific to you. Or perhaps they are just asking you how many tags you want?  if so, over order, as you can keep them until the next lot of pigs, and if youare using metal tags, they always manage to scratch them off!

Title: Re: What is a 'starting number'
Post by: clareymason on September 17, 2011, 09:19:58 pm

Thanks very much. It's not the quantity of the CPH number, another website calls it the 'animal start number.' Being new to all this I'm a little nervous of getting it wrong.

I'll just stick a 1 in that box!

Thanks for the help  :pig:

Title: Re: What is a 'starting number'
Post by: tizaala on September 17, 2011, 09:25:00 pm

What they mean is :  if you are ordering ten tags , do you want 1-10 ,  or 11-20 or 21-30 or 171- 180. so the order will start with any number you choose that suits you , but follow up orders should continue from the last number of your last order,  so if your first order is 1 to 10 the next time you order should start with 11.
Got it? ........ good.
the uk and herd no will be on the order sheet anyway, and the tags you are ordering will only be applied to animals born on your holding.

Title: Re: What is a 'starting number'
Post by: oaklandspigs on September 18, 2011, 08:35:06 am

Basically doesn't matter unless you are showing pigs.

Legally pigs do not need any individual ID.

So if you are doing say meat pigs, and tagging just before slaughter, then no point in having individual no.s

However some people tag for management purposes and tag their litters eg to be able to say that no;6 was off its food this morning.

If you get into showing, then indiv ID tags can be used for this purpose.

Many on-line manufactures offer numbers as standard - so just go for any number you like, or leave blank, the key is that the tag has you herd no. (one or two letters, 4 numbers) on it.