The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: Nelson International on June 12, 2018, 09:04:54 pm
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Last year I bought a ewe with lambs at foot: the ewe was tagged properly but the lambs weren't tagged at all. I didn't really understand the rules properly, and ended up tagging them with twin (yellow & blue) tags with my own holding number on. I've now understood that they should either be tagged with their location of birth, or with red tags with my holding number on to mark them as interlopers.
So I was going cut out my yellow and blue tags and replace them with red replacement tags with the same details that they're already tagged with. But when I went to order the red tags, it seems I can't order red tags with the same animal numbers I already gave them - it indicates that 'the ministry will allocate the next available numbers'. Now I'm confused again - what will those numbers be and how will they be determined?
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Will be your flock number and whatever individual numbers come next after your last order
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Aah, ok. Cheers. Presumably it doesn't matter then that my flock will be numbered seemingly at random - 3, 4, 5, 21, 22, provided the flock book is clear and correct?
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Yes that is correct. When you fill in your flock book, write a brief explanation of what happened. Do you know if the ewe was born on the holding you bought it from? If so then her ear tags should give you the flock number of the vendor, to cross reference in your book.
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Yup, she was born there and I have all the details from the movement license, too. Thanks.
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You are stressing when no need . Since the lambs were not tagged then I assume only the ewe is recorded on the movement document and then the lambs were BORN on your holding and you tagged them correctly !! The main thing is that the lambs are tagged and no one will care what colour the tags are . The person who sold them is to blame not you , personally I wouldn't give it a second thought .