[tommytink]

Anyone use Shearwell Data ear tags for their animals?

I need to order a couple of slaughter tags for the pigs. That was straightforward although I did balk at the price of the actual tagger 

Anyway, I’m trying to accustom myself to saving where I can so thought why not order up some sheep tags in preparation for next year. So first question: is this okay? Or would it be an issue somewhere along the line if say I ordered 50 and only used 40? I mean from a records point of view. The site says numbers are “issued by the ministry” so don’t want them thinking I have more than I do and just haven’t registered them.

Second: when it asks for my flock number it says format should be UK0XXXXXX. My flock number is six, so that’s the end part, but in the movement licenses I have for the other sheep there is no 0 after the UK. I’m pretty sure it’s not on their tags either, but I could be wrong and don’t want to go shaking a bucket about again to get them over as I’ve already done that once today. So if anyone has these tags can you tell me whether you have the 0 before your flock number?

Sorry for such a long post about a simple thing.

[Womble]

Hi Tommy,


"Numbers are issued by the ministry" just means that you'll automatically be supplied with the next sequential numbers. So, if yours is a new flock number, they'll automatically start your individual animal numbers at 1 and increment upwards from there.

As long as you still have any unused extra tags in your possession, ordering too many isn't an issue. When you use a tag you need to record that in your flock book, for instance "10 lambs tagged, UK0{flock number}/00001 to 00010".


I just checked the registration letter they sent us with our flock number on it, and yes, they did only quote six digits eg 123456. The number that goes on the tags is therefore UK0123456/{sequential animal number issued by ministry}.

Does that answer your questions ok?


Edit: P.S. The Shearwell SET tags are really good and don't get lost often. The one disadvantage we've found with them is that you can't read the number at a distance. As a result, we now use a "SET" tag as the EID tag and a "combi mini" as the visual tag, which is still small enough not to be a problem, but big enough that I can read the number from a couple of sheep-lengths away. YMMV though, depending on how often you need to know their numbers.

[tommytink]

Hi Womble - thanks so much for replying. I always ramble on and am surprised anyone ever makes it to the end!!

So, I can order tags now and no issues.

And UK0 is the right prefix, and is actually on the tag? I will check ours when we tackle them and their foot issues tomorrow.

What colour did you go for? Our current sheep both have the blue ones. I thought a lighter colour might be easier to read as I always try and look at the EID one checking numbers as it stands out on the yellow.

We have a sheep with just one tag when she came to us. She ripped it out her ear so bad I called her Two Flaps. There’s literally no part of it you could get a tag into. I know in theory the previous keeper should’ve at least ordered a replacement for us to keep but she’s not going anywhere and I’ll keep a firm eye on her yellow tag. I guess I could actually reorder one myself somehow, as they keep their numbers and it must happen where they lose tags with new owners. Anyway, thanks for answeringy questions. I’ll get in and order up