The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Community => Coffee Lounge => Topic started by: Rach on February 14, 2013, 11:25:37 am

Title: Best age to tag sheep + tagging advice
Post by: Rach on February 14, 2013, 11:25:37 am

Please could some kind soul advise as to best age to tag lambs and best tags/applicators for someone with just a few (no great outlay please!).
Some poss going to slaughter prior to 6 months, some kept for breeding.
They are charollais, due in March.

Thank you :)

Title: Re: Best age to tag sheep + tagging advice
Post by: sabrina on February 14, 2013, 11:46:20 am

I had orphan lambs  last year which where tagged before they moved to us. Tags were off within days so farmer came back and did them again just before they went to slaughter. he only did his own before they went to market.

Title: Re: Best age to tag sheep + tagging advice
Post by: Lesley Silvester on February 14, 2013, 10:39:15 pm

don't know about sheep but I have a fgive year old goat that I haven't tagged yet.  I've only just bought tags and tagger and that was because my 20 month old goat was going for slaughter.

Title: Re: Best age to tag sheep + tagging advice
Post by: SallyintNorth on February 15, 2013, 06:11:56 am

Rant warning

 :rant:  Tags are not in the best interests of the animals from a welfare point of view  :rant:

Rant over.


Ok.  They have to be tagged before they leave your property.  They have to be tagged by the time they are 12 months old.  Do not tag them in the fly season and do not tag them when there is a likelihood of them getting frosty ears.  Try not to tag them when it's muddy. 

We tag as they leave the farm for fat lambs, and in the back end, after the fly season, for keeping ewe lambs.

Title: Re: Best age to tag sheep + tagging advice
Post by: Rach on February 15, 2013, 07:36:03 am

Lovely job. Thanks all.  :eyelashes:

Title: Re: Best age to tag sheep + tagging advice
Post by: scarlettoara on February 15, 2013, 04:10:21 pm

you can tag with lamb tags which are finer then re-do with eid tags when their ears have grown at more at 6 mths.
i also have had registered sheep/goats bought in whose tag has come in a plastic bag. unfortunately its guaranteed to need the tagger that i dont have.

Title: Re: Best age to tag sheep + tagging advice
Post by: goosepimple on February 15, 2013, 07:13:25 pm

same here scarlettoara.  I also snip the loop tags on livestock to save them being yanked out and ripping through their wee ears when they inevitably get caught in vegetation.