Author Topic: Ear tags for Soays (Read 3610 times)

squeasy · « **on:** February 03, 2012, 09:35:12 am »

I was wondering if anybody can recommend a good ear tag for Soay lambs? My ewes are due at the end of February and it is my first time lambing. I am looking for a make of tag (and eid) that are small enough and gentle (if any of them are) for their very small ears.

tizaala · « **Reply #1 on:** February 03, 2012, 10:02:03 am »

We use Cox Quik EID and cut the bend after fitting so they don't get snagged on anything.

woollyval · « **Reply #2 on:** February 03, 2012, 10:16:03 am »

Allflex bubblegum work on Ouessants and they have smaller ears than soay! Best thing to do with tiny eared breeds is put the small id tag in at a few days if you cannot tell one from another then put the big tag in when they are lots bigger!

jaykay · « **Reply #3 on:** February 03, 2012, 11:21:57 am »

I like Rototags as they're small, no loop to catch and they now do an EID one too.

I don't tag my lambs til they're quite big, I rely on the numbers I spray on after lambing to know who they are and who they belong to.

Fleecewife · « **Reply #4 on:** February 03, 2012, 11:45:50 am »

We use temporary tags at birth for both Soay and Hebrideans. We use the tiny 'turkey wing tags' which are like a 1cm square metal padlock. They are put in by hand. Then at 4 months when the lambs leave the dam we put in one of their big tags - the second we put in when they are older or when they leave the holding. Soay in particular are always sticking their heads through fences or getting into headlocks with their chums, which tends to pull out the larger eartags if put in when they are still tiny.
For our final tags we use Bubblegum, which look a bit wide but are nice and soft and do very well.

There are some slaughter tags which have a very slim pin which some people use for small-eared sheep. I worry that they will not last for the life of a Soay as they are intended to be short-term.

lachlanandmarcus · « **Reply #5 on:** February 03, 2012, 11:49:39 am »

I also use the Allflex bubblegum wee strip ones for my Shetlands and they work well with them

Bramblecot · « **Reply #6 on:** February 03, 2012, 08:00:30 pm »

I have bought Shearwell tags for my Shetlands. Very happy with them and the EID tag is hardly any bigger than the slaughter tags, also the pin is quite narrow. The staff were also helpful to a novice (me).

squeasy · « **Reply #7 on:** February 03, 2012, 08:03:08 pm »

Wow thank you for all of the responses I really appreciate them. I am working my way down the list of the ones suggested. I need small order quantity too. Are there particular places I should buy them from or just directly from the supplier.