[tommytink]

I need to order more ear tags and just wanted to double check something first!

I originally bought Shearwell’s SET tags, breeding pairs. I’ve put these even in my spare boys that went to the mart but realise I should be using a single EID tag for them if they’re going off under 12 months (stop me if I’m wrong…)

So am I right in thinking these tags will just have my flock number on, no individual number, but there will be an assigned number within the chip? So for example if I get breeding pairs numbered 41-50 and also order 10 slaughter tags these will be numbers 51-60? And the next lot of breeding pairs would be 61-70?

Also if I don’t take them straight to an abattoir and sold them on as stores or fat lambs at the mart, is it still okay for a single tag to be used?

[twizzel]

For small numbers you can just double tag everything with breeding tags. All of my lambs are double tagged at birth so I can track their weights and parentage. Regardless of if they’re going into the food chain or not.


For slaughter tags you just record the UK flock number. The single slaughter tag can be used up to 12m old.

[SallyintNorth]

yes you are correct that the slaughter tags do carry the individual number, but electronically only.  If you might decide to keep any, with small numbers it's so much easier to just use paired tags for everything.  They are legal for slaughter and you don't need to do anything if you decide to keep them on. 

[tommytink]

I had 24 lambs last time and am estimating there’ll be around 40 on the next go   

So say half are boys that I won’t be keeping. Someone was a bit bemused that I’d put pairs in and said they just needed the slaughter tag. What if they go as stores and end up over 12 months of age though?

I guess if they’re all numbered in sequence, whether one tag or two, it doesn’t really matter, like you say. The total number will always be the same.

[Bywaters]

Surely it is so much easier to tag everything in numbered tags ?

I've never differentiated and never had any problems.

[Fleecewife]

The title of this topic is 'Eat Tags' so I had to have a look, without having anything to contribute really 


We double tag all our sheep - some unwanted males go for slaughter but not until 16 months, so that is irrelevant to your question 

[twizzel]

If they go through as stores and over 12 months, whoever buys them has to replace the slaughter tag with 2 double red tags.


The extra tag to make them a breeding pair is about 12p. The EID tag is about 70p. Therefore it doesn’t break the bank if you buy 40 breeding pairs rather than 20 slaughter tags and 20 pairs. But if you’ve got 500 lambs to tag, then it makes sense to batch slaughter tag. Most pedigree breeders will double tag though to track lambs as they grow.


I double tag everything at a day or 2 old, then I can track the better performing lambs compared to those not doing so well, and record it against their mothers record.

[tommytink]

The title of this topic is 'Eat Tags' so I had to have a look, without having anything to contribute really 


We double tag all our sheep - some unwanted males go for slaughter but not until 16 months, so that is irrelevant to your question 

Ha ha, I realised afterwards what I’d done! Prob my phone thinking it knows better than me 

I’ll just continue double tagging everything I think. The person that said about it made me feel like I was doing it wrong by putting pairs in and I thought maybe I look stupid taking stores to mart with two tags. Obviously the cost isn’t really an issue so all in all I’ll stick to what I’ve done before.

[Fleecewife]

I double tag everything at a day or 2 old, then I can track the better performing lambs compared to those not doing so well, and record it against their mothers record.

Our lambs' ears are too small to put the big tags in at birth, so we tag them with turkey wing tags, which are tiny and just have a birth number on.  We then put the proper tags in at 4 months. Being pedigree sheep for breeding stock we have to be totally accurate with ear tagging for registration.

[Backinwellies]

All mine are double tagged .... whatever their destination ..... this is perfectly OK.   Unless you are intending to increase to large numbers of finished lambs where you might save a few pounds on tags stick with double tagging .

[tommytink]

Thanks all 

[Bywaters]

As has been said earlier, some lambs ears aren't big / stong enough to have tags / double tags
We do almost all the flock with 1 tag and then double when they are sold
Some are beggars for losing tags but I have recently realsised that duplicate tags are available - both for your own flock and bought in sheep - from Daltons - under £8 for a set. Not cheap

The whole tagging thing is farcical in some respects - there isn't a way of recording (with defra etc) new owners
I onvce had someone ring me up from hundreds of miles away telling me one of my sheep had got out
I had sold that ewe maybe 3 years before
I find that frustrating

[SallyintNorth]

there isn't a way of recording (with defra etc) new owners
I onvce had someone ring me up from hundreds of miles away telling me one of my sheep had got out
I had sold that ewe maybe 3 years before
I find that frustrating

Sorry but you are 100% wrong there.  Every movement of a sheep records the individual number (other than lambs from their holding of birth direct to slaughter, which movement does not have to record the individual eartag number), the leaving holding and the destination holding.  Defra emphatically do have a list of every tagged sheep and where it is - as any sheepkeeper who has ever had a Defra or a a Red Tractor inspection can attest!

The whole tagging thing is farcical in some respects

This is however true, but I really suggest you do not get me started... and certainly do not start me off on washing out your trailer... 

[twizzel]

As has been said earlier, some lambs ears aren't big / stong enough to have tags / double tags
We do almost all the flock with 1 tag and then double when they are sold
Some are beggars for losing tags but I have recently realsised that duplicate tags are available - both for your own flock and bought in sheep - from Daltons - under £8 for a set. Not cheap

The whole tagging thing is farcical in some respects - there isn't a way of recording (with defra etc) new owners
I onvce had someone ring me up from hundreds of miles away telling me one of my sheep had got out
I had sold that ewe maybe 3 years before
I find that frustrating

Yes there is- it’s called a movement license !
All you have to do is show the license and your flock book if questioned.


I get replica tags for pedigree sheep missing a tag that I want to keep their ear tag number- Shearwell are a couple of quid per tag. 

[Bywaters]

Sorry but movement licence is not the same as change of owner

If you have the means to check any of your previsouly sold sheep, they will still be registered as yours (obvisouly not the slaughtered ones hopefully)

There is NOT the means to register change of owner - if there is - please point me to it