The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Pigs => Topic started by: minidax on March 14, 2009, 08:28:58 am

Title: What method of Identification
Post by: minidax on March 14, 2009, 08:28:58 am

Hi I would be interested to hear what you find to be the best method of identification for your pigs, slapmark, eartags, tattoo?  Thanks Lu  :pig:

Title: Re: What method of Identification
Post by: Hilarysmum on March 14, 2009, 08:56:18 am

I loathe and detest ear tags, the sows chew them out of each other's ears, they get caught in the bramble and tear the ears, etc. etc.  I would prefer tattooing.  Just trying to find some tattoo plyers at a price I can afford.

Advantages of ear tags : easy to see

Advantages of tattoo - never come out, dont cause a problem, cannot be cut off if pig is stolen.

Title: Re: What method of Identification
Post by: carl on March 14, 2009, 06:19:14 pm

i have tried eartags, one got pulled out by the recipient, horrible mess. Mad me feel very bad for trying it. sticking to slap marking now.

Title: Re: What method of Identification
Post by: Rosemary on March 14, 2009, 07:52:17 pm

Sometimes our weaners come tagged, sometimes not and we paint mark them for the abbatoir.

We've only lost one tag - last year, and I think it got eaten by one of pigs during play. The one that lost the tag was fine - no bleeding or anything.

However, one of our sheep pulled hers out on a haynet - her ear is well ripped.

Title: Re: What method of Identification
Post by: garden cottage on March 14, 2009, 10:38:27 pm

put our eartags in just before they go to slaughter, enquired about slapmarkers very expensive, chap in countrywide told us £80-90,new type tags dont even need pliers...............cheers neil

Title: Re: What method of Identification
Post by: gavo on March 14, 2009, 11:57:36 pm

Hello,

We tag & tattoo (ear) all pedigree stock. Stock that all only ever going to be fatteners (cross breds & odd shaped ones) are just tagged. Tags aren't lost that often, if they do then we simply re-tag them with the same details.

Cheers

Gavin

Title: Re: What method of Identification
Post by: Hilarysmum on March 15, 2009, 08:41:32 am

We have a slap marker for the abatatoir.