Author Topic: Ear tag - and torn ear! (Read 9946 times)

Blackbird · « **on:** July 19, 2012, 06:55:40 am »

I'm new to sheep - they arrived less than a week ago. My Shetland ewe lamb, Snowdrop, insists on sticking her head throught the sheep netting to get to the grass on the other side (despite a plentiful supply in the field!).

She has ripped her yellow ear tag off - and torn her ear right across. I lured her with ewe nuts and managed to catch her (she is damn quick!). I've bathed the ear with surgical spirit and it looks OK - it can only have happened a few hours earlier. Sorry if this is a really stupid question, but do I need to do anything else as far as her welfare is concerned (e.g. get the vet to stitch it up) or just monitor to ensure it's not infected or attracting flies etc?

Also, I don't see how she can have a replacement tag put in as the ear is torn right across and of course it's likely to happen again. Our sheep are lawnmowers/hobby/pets only and will be with us till they die. Any advice most gratefully received! Thank you.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #1 on:** July 19, 2012, 07:19:52 am »

Yup, that's why we all hate eartags.

You don't need to stitch it no, it'll heal (with a split) quite quickly. Clean it again and give it a spray of Septiclense if it looks dirty; give her head a spray with a fly repellant if she is being bothered by flies.

I don't know what kind of tags you have, but the type which are two separate pieces of plastic, one each side of the ear - ie the plastic loop is split in two - are often better if you have sheep likely to put their heads through stockfencing.

wallyward · « **Reply #2 on:** July 19, 2012, 07:21:41 am »

Hi

I am no expert so hopefully someone better informed will come along soon.

If she only has the one yellow tag that will be a slaughter/ batch tag that just has the flock number on for the flock she was born into. If you are going to keep her longer than 12 months you would need to upgrade her anyway to 2 tags one of which will need to be an EID tag. have you got these anyway? even thogh the ear is ripped you should be able to find space to get another tag into. You could just update her now with the 2 tags she needs with your flock details on.

some summer fly cream or something like that will help protect the tear in her ear from flys and help heal the skin. If you havent got anything like that just spray on some blue or purple spray if you have either.

hope that helps but like I say no expert but expect someone else will be along soon to help.

regards

Pedwardine · « **Reply #3 on:** July 19, 2012, 07:27:45 am »

If you aren't planning on parting with her then leave the ear to heal, monitoring as you suggested. It could be stitched purely for aesthetics but things obviously knit better if done immediately and it will only likely stress her some more. She sounds a character! We've plenty with floppity split ears born out of the same curiosity. No chance of enough remaining ear to put a replacement in. It won't bother her at all and will heal well. Just keep luring with treats and have a peek for a while. Spray with blue spray if you can to keep infection at bay. An insect repellant may be worth considering if you notice her being bothered by flies.
Has she a tag in the other ear! If she's registered she'll need some ID in case of Defra checks etc. Our best discovery is the Ketchum Kurl Lock No4. A bit of a faff to apply and only the one chance to get it right but retention is excellent.

Blackbird · « **Reply #4 on:** July 19, 2012, 10:56:03 am »

Here she is (if I've managed link correctly) pre-tag loss. It's the yellow (EID?) one she's lost, she still has the green one (so far!). So if I interpret Defra regs right, she needs to have a replacement tag as I am keeping her, or is it OK for her just to have the green one? I'm not convinced there's enough sound ear to re-tag her as the tear is right through the tip of her ear.

woollyval · « **Reply #5 on:** July 19, 2012, 12:18:22 pm »

I have several with a torn ear and just one tag.....unfortunately the powerd that be (DEFRA) think animals ears are huge, don't split and having tags is like an earing.... I have had sheep in the past 12 years with such bad tears and cauliflower ears it was impossible to get a replacement tag in anywhere....
Its a sad old world when we have to cruelly abuse animals like this when its illegal and fineable to put an earing in a dogs ear....

landroverroy · « **Reply #6 on:** July 19, 2012, 04:26:53 pm »

If you are keeping her for ever, I wouldn't bother replacing the tag. She still has the green one for ID. It's not a hanging offence and unless you are lucky enough to have an inspection then no one's going to know anyway. After a few years no one's going to care either as she could be of an age when eid tags weren't needed.
I have seen sheep blood tested by DEFRA. Some were yearlings and clearly did not have eid tags. Of the older ewes, some had lost their tags and were retagged with blue ones. The person testing was sensibly more interested in being to identify the sheep than doing a witch hunt as to whether the tags were the correct ones.
As long as you are not blatantly doing your own thing and ignoring tagging altogether, then you shouldn't have a problem.