The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Emmathestar on April 19, 2015, 08:40:16 pm
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Hello all!
I am getting very confused with how tags work. We are new to sheep and have 4 lambs about 6 weeks old.
Here's the questions!
We have 4 lambs, and they have paperwork and tags from the holding they were born. They are slaughter tags although we are not sending them to slaughter.
We thought that we had to replace these tags with new tags with our own flock number on but we gave told this is not the case.
Can someone explain in simple terms (lol!) why our flock number doesn't go on our sheep? How do they know they belong to us if the flock number on their tags isn't ours??
I cannot get my brain to figure this out!
Lol
Thank you x
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The tag no.s should correspond to the holding of origin, and they would normally keep those tags for life wherever they go.
If they're not going for slaughter, then ideally the holding of origin should have given them double tags (with an EID) if they're not going for slaughter within 12 months - I'd have thought they should have had those if they were going to be sold off the holding before 12mths also, but I am not certain of that.
I guess if you cannot get double tags from the holding of origin: if your sheep were to 'lose' their tags you could order up some double-with-EID 'replacement' tags which would have R and your flock no. on them; although I can't help thinking that's a bit of a naughty way of doing it.
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http://www.arams.co.uk/docs/UserGuides/Identifying_and_recording_sheep_and_goats.pdf (http://www.arams.co.uk/docs/UserGuides/Identifying_and_recording_sheep_and_goats.pdf)
Here is a page which might help.
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As far as I understand it, the only sheep that can be moved as a batch (with one tag containing just the flock number and no individual identifier) are those moving directly from holding of birth to slaughter within the first 12 months of life. There has been a slight change in this legislation recently and any lamb born after the 1st jan this year must now have an EID tag. it still only needs the flock (or batch) number but must be yellow and contain the EID chip. as far as I know this has only happened in England so far. Bit of a sod as I didn't realise and ordered a whole load of our usual green batch tags with no chip in December.
in every other sheep movement situation the sheep should be double tagged by holding of birth with one EID yellow tag and one visual tag of any colour, both containing flock number and an individual identifying number. rather like a car number plate this combination of flock and individual number remain with that sheep for the rest of its life. you don't change a car number plate when it changes owner
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Thank you all! I rang mole valley today as well and they explained things. I finally have my head around it! Lol! :dunce:
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Thank you all! I rang mole valley today as well and they explained things. I finally have my head around it! Lol! :dunce:
What was the answer in your scenario?