The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: georgielmgm on September 02, 2014, 09:15:45 am
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Hi all :wave:
So some of my new sheep have 1 yellow ear tag, and some have 1 yellow and 1 purple??? I know the yellow should be the EID one with the sellers flock number and the purple should be individual numbers? (right?!) so what do I do about the ones that don't have a purple tag? Shouldn't that have been done before they left original holding?
I'm pretty sure that it's only the purple ones that a few have missing, but I'm bringing them in later (they've learned to walk themselves into the pen! :excited: :thumbsup: )so will have a proper check. Do I need to write individual numbers down anywhere?
Thanks :eyelashes:
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the individual numbers should be on the movement form they arrived with...
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oh.... he wrote 1 number down and I thought it was his flock number and that you could put that down instead of writing down lots of individual numbers....but I've already sent the form off? What happens now? Will they send it back? ???
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im no expert so far done 3 forms, but as far as i know each individual tag number should be listed, not sure what they do with incorrect forms...
someone else will be along soon to help im sure...
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Urggh hope nothing is wrong >:( :-\
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So is my flock register now wrong as I just wrote them down in a single...you know whatever you call the box that goes across the table thingy...column?! Whatever...I just wrote them down in one of those as a 8 ewe lambs being bought? Was I suppose to right one in each box with their ID number too? ???
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i think it can be 1 entry the way i was shown is
the id numbers can be listed after the flock number eg
uk123456 - 021 - 022 -027
to denote three sheep with those ear numbers from the same flock arriving or leaving in 1 group...
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Hmm okay :thinking:
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Each tag (regardless of colour) should have the flock number (UK0123456) and the individual number (00001 etc). Do the tags that you do have show both numbers on each?
Each sheep needs both tags, the yellow and the coloured. Do the sheep with only one tag have a hole where the missing tag might have previously been?
Where did you get the sheep from again? was it a neighbour or a sale? (i.e. do you still have contact with the seller)
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Foobar and Bloomer are right - each animal should have two tags (one in each ear). They both have the same number printed on them, i.e. flock number and unique animal number. The only difference is that the yellow tag has an electronic RFID chip in it that holds the same info as is printed on the tag. Don't worry unduly about the tags though. We had a ewe with a missing tag and managed to get a replica tag for her very easily (i.e. with exactly the same info on it as the one that was missing). Your other option is a red replacement tag - the details on how all that works should be in the pack you were sent when you registered as a keeper?
As far as the movement certs go, could you possibly post up what the seller wrote? That would help the folks on here make sense of things and give you the correct advice.
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I checked 1 ear the other day because I thought it was odd and it didn't have a hole where a tag could have been, because that was my first thought. I just got home from school so I'm going to go and get them in and have a good look, will see what the tags say, should I record individual numbers down as they aren't on the movement forms?
I got them from a private seller, 4 miles away, very able to contact him
Urggh I haven't registered yet, just about to pick up the phone to ring them....
In the box on the top right corner, he wrote that there were 8 animals (correct) and then in the column for Individual Identification numbers he wrote '201468'?
Thanks everyone, this is a bit of a faff... :(
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...also how old are your sheep...
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ewe lambs born this year...
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Hi
My few ideas ..
1) movement documentation should have each individuals number. (so write down the number from each and put this in your movement records.)
2) They should have 2 tags ... (one electronic) before being moved ....try to get the previous owner to suppy the missing tags especially f they obviously haven't ever fitted 2... they would have had to order pairs. If you have no luck with this I would either follow Wombles advice or quickly order red tags with your flock number and individual numbers... remove the single tag and fit 2 red tags. This change must go in your movement book.
3) As for sending off form without full details it may be better to contact them with your concerns.
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Hi,
There doesn't seem to be a space in my Holding Register for individual ID numbers, just a flock/herd number (I have the Castlemaker sheep and goat holding register?) but I'm sure I can put them in somewhere....
I'll go and have a look at them, see which ones are missing and take down the ID's off the EID tag, then send the seller a text, hopefully he'll have them but I can't really understand why he wouldn't just tag both ears at the same time?
Don't really want to tag with replacement tags, sounds really petty but I like the colour scheme of their ear tags at the moment :roflanim:
I suppose at least there is only 8 of them so it won't take too much effort to sort! And I'll know for next time!
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yeah speak to the seller first, he should have double tagged them all properly. (but yeah, the onus is on the buyer to check before buying too ;))
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The plot thickens.....
Just been out to inspect them aaaand - 6 have 1 yellow EID eartag with the flock number he gave me (on the movement licence) but no other number :/ 2 of the Suffolk crosses have 1 yellow with 2 number on, both different from his flock number, and 1 purple tag with another (if I remember rightly) 2 numbers on? The silly thing wouldn't stop wrestling with me long enough to let me have a good look ::) so I would assume (?) He's bought those 2 Suffolks in? That doesn't explain the lack of ID number on the other 6 ewes' tags...
At this point, would I be easier to just take all their tags out (some of them are gunky and sore anyway) and buy replacements when me flock number comes in the post?
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The plot thickens.....
Just been out to inspect them aaaand - 6 have 1 yellow EID eartag with the flock number he gave me (on the movement licence) but no other number :/ 2 of the Suffolk crosses have 1 yellow with 2 number on, both different from his flock number, and 1 purple tag with another (if I remember rightly) 2 numbers on? The silly thing wouldn't stop wrestling with me long enough to let me have a good look ::) so I would assume (?) He's bought those 2 Suffolks in? That doesn't explain the lack of ID number on the other 6 ewes' tags...
At this point, would I be easier to just take all their tags out (some of them are gunky and sore anyway) and buy replacements when me flock number comes in the post?
This is exactly why we all have to record everything now .... owners who just buy and sell without keeping proper records ... no traceability of medicine or health records ............ get in touch with previous owner he has sold illegally!.......... the ones with just a flock number sound like slaughter tags ... used only for young stock destined for slaughter within a year of birth .... cant sell on without proper double tagging.
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So, what it sounds like is that 6 of the sheep have slaughter tags in them. These are single yellow tags, which only display the flock number visually on the tags. They do have an individual number, but this is only stored on the electronic chip, so you would need a reader to find out what it is.
As they are this years' lambs, this is a perfectly legal/acceptable thing for the vendor to have done, but maybe not all that helpful - did you discuss with him what you want the sheep for? Of course, he may well have tagged them at birth not expecting to sell them for breeding. If you are wanting to fatten and slaughter them before 12 months, the single tag is completely fine, and you don't need to do anything. However, if you want to keep them beyond 12 months, you need to double tag them. You can remove the tags and re tag with a pair (could be yellow and purple to match the others, we use a different colour every year so we know instantly how old they are) and you MUST record that you have done this in your flock register.
Pairs of tags will display both the flock number and an individual number visually on the tag, as well as this being stored on the electronic chip. The two tags, yellow and purple in your case, will both display both numbers, i.e. they should look exactly the same except for the colour. If the flock number is different to the flock number of the vendor, then you are right, that would mean he had bought them in and sold them to you.
The vendor should have sent you a list of numbers. For your flock record, you could either record the two you have the full numbers for correctly and just record the other 6 as '6 ewe lambs ex flock UK WHATEVER, retag the six and then record the change, and I'd be reasonably confident if you had an inspection you should be OK as you've tried your best, or ideally find someone who can read the elctronic chips for you (not sure where you are, if you are in the Scottish Borders/North Northumberland I'll come and do it for you) - maybe the vendor can? and then record all the numbers properly.
Re their ears, how sore are they? If it is just a bit of gunk round the hole, I would clean it all off then spray with some antibiotic spray (both sides) and leave the tags for now, but if the ear is swollen, you'd need to check for infection tracks - it can burst right out of the tip of the ear so feel all over with your fingernails for scabs, then thoroughly clean. In general, you shouldn't be removing tags, but if it is a welfare issue, then do, but ensure you keep the old tags until you've recorded the replacement numbers.
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Ok thanks, that all sounds like really sound advice!
To be honest I'm not 100% sure what is going on with these different tags and some done right and some not, my mum has said she'll come and give me a hand at the weekend to have a real good look at them and figure it out!
Their ears are sort of dried blood, bit weepy, not really swollen but quite a lot of scabbing building up, more than i would like...i tried spraying 1 with septiclense a few days ago but it didn't seem to have made much difference today, perhaps I should have taken the scab/bloody gunk off then sprayed? But that sounds painful?
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Yep, gunk off, then spray. Good luck! You might want to wear gloves, the gunk might be stinky.
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How lovely! Pretty strong stomach anyway but got a little too close to comfort whilst dagging a nice, fresh, scourey one today...at least she stood nicely! :thumbsup:
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https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/191538/sheep-tag-rules101217.pdf (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/191538/sheep-tag-rules101217.pdf)
Please refer to above link .... the colour of tags required when replacing is very clear.
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/299025/pb14142-sheep-goats-guidance-140328.pdf (https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/299025/pb14142-sheep-goats-guidance-140328.pdf)
this link gives a lot of clear info on sheep identification and registration systems for England (are you in England?)
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Oh thanks, they are really useful :) Took me a couple of days to get round to reading them, school and all :-\
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How lovely! Pretty strong stomach anyway but got a little too close to comfort whilst dagging a nice, fresh, scourey one today...at least she stood nicely! :thumbsup:
I wasn't so much thinking of your stomach, more of the fact that the stink is hard to get off and no one might want to sit next to you at school for a week ;D
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Ohhhhhh ok! I'll probably want gloves then! I have a dinner on Saturday night and planned to sort them in the afternoon...Have taken note! :thumbsup: