[Button End Beasts]

Hello,


I was told that I should now double tag my registered OSB gilt (she hadn't been notched,  or tagged, only ear tattooed, when I collected her).


She's 8 months old and very good natured. I was wondering if anybody had any advice on ear tagging a pig of her age? Is it any worse than doing it to a younger pig? I have to say her ears look awfully thick.


Thanks for any tips on how to make it as pain free as poss for the both of us

[oaklandspigs]

You only need to tag animals to either:

 

• meet pedigree requirements
• meet legal requirements
• allow you to manage you herd

I presume it is to meet pedigree that is the reason, as unless/until you need to move her from your premises, she needs no further ID, and I suspect you'll not wish to tag her just so that you know who is who, and if so, she would only need one tag.
 

Question  - who is saying she needs double tagging? If she was bred after Jan 2011 (I think) then she should have been notched rather than tattooed, so is this to now meet BPA reqs?  If so, do you have direct permission from the BPA to do this, as their permission is required?  And have they said what with in terms of ID?  Make sure you are clear on why you are doing this - probably you are, but there is much confusion over pig identification around, and want to make sure you are doing it because it is really needed!
 
If so, I would use button tags, and it is quite easy.  Just do it whilst she is eating.  No it is not worse on older than younger pigs, we do it sometimes on older pigs for management reasons.  Just lift the ear, position pliers in the centre of the ear and close quickly.  If you are doing two tags, maybe leave a couple of days between goes !
 
 
 
 

[Button End Beasts]

Hello Oaklands   (just saw pic of your OSB x saddlebacks weaners - lovely colours!)


Thanks for that. Yes this is for pedigree purposes. I talked to the BPA OSB breed rep. last week (very helpful chap)  who said to double tag and told me exactly what to put on the tags. I am wondering though, do I need some written "permission" from the BPA before doing this?

[Fowgill Farm]

You can just send an e-mail to the BPA and copy in the OSB rep and it will go thro due process.
Make sure when you tag an older pig that the ear is clean so you can see any veins. If you feel the ear you will feel some ridges in it, try to tag betwen these and miss any veins.
HTH
mandy

[oaklandspigs]

your breed rep should have all the info, so follow his advice.
 
I presume that they are being tagged with the breeders details, not yours, as otherwise I'm not sure that they would be acceptable as purebred - on the grounds that the breeder should have notched or double tagged before you had them - are you getting tags from the breeder?

[Button End Beasts]

I was told to put on the front OS, breeder details, pig #.


On the back to put UK (not strictly necessary for me as no intend to sell abroad, but may as well) and then MY herd number, as they are now on my land. So, no I need to get the tags myself.


Basically following this link
http://www.oxfordsandypigs.co.uk/breed-identification/
[/size]
[/size]Seems OK?

[oaklandspigs]

Just to check, the reason you are doing this is to correct the error that the breeder made ie he tatooed when he should have either notched or tagged the gilt?
 
If so, then the only BPA applicable part would be the Breeders HDL and indiv no.  - a herd no. is optional unless and until you move it when legally it should be yours.
 
So I would presume that if the breed rep is saying put yours on, then he is happy that this is acceptable to the BPA.
 
In the end this comes down to whether you are trying to pretend that it was correctly ID'd in the first place, when it would be breeders details and herd no. , or are openly correcting this with the BPA when your herd no would according to the breed rep seem to be ok.  I am not sure what latitude the BPA give in allowing correction of mistakes by breeders ie allowing retrospective ID to be added to a pig.
 
The BPA rules on ID are buried in the site under the joining form, so are hardly easy to find.
 
http://www.britishpigs.org/BPA%20membership%20forms%20web.pdf
 
Scroll down the page and you'll find the bit called "ear marking" which seem to make retrospective
not an option,  hense me still questioning.

[robert waddell]

there is only one way and that is the correct way    anything else just leads to confusion  and raised eyebrows       and basically why the majority are against double tagging   surprising and alarming the info given    and not by oaklands 

[Button End Beasts]

Yes, the reason i am doing this is to correct the breeders mistake. The tattooing bit didn't seem to be wrong, just that they should have ear tagged as well.

I guess the option we are going down seems to be openly correcting the breeders mistake. I also, originally, thought I couldn't retrospectively correct the mistake. To be honest, I'm just as confused as ever.

Perhaps I shouldn't bother, I just wanted to raise a few of our own piglets a year. I don't particularly want to have to ear notch piglets myself. Just Thought I'd try and do my bit for helping to conserve this lovely breed by registering any top notch piglets. And before anyone says I should have done my homework before buying the gilt, I thought I had done. I found a breeder listed on the OSB society web site who I assumed knew what they were doing & I looked at the ID info I had been sent by the BPA which to me says tattooing or notching is acceptable.

Ah well, live and learn heh.

[chickenfeed]

have you spoke to a bpa rep / committee member there is a list on the bpa website the kiddy family are quite close to you and will know all about notching taging and any other id that is acceptable well worth a phone call.
i know there has been a bit of trouble around the show ring with unacceptable notching this year so the bpa are keen on getting the message through.
 
i was under the impression if you cocked up with notching or tattooing a member of your breed society had to be on hand to verify the correction taking place just to keep it straight for the records.

[Snapper]

 Just a suggestion but:
 
How about getting in touch with the Breeder and  asking them to send the ear-tag they should have put in before they sold you the Gilt.
It may have been a genuine mistake on their part. If they don't have the original ear-tag they'll be able to order another.  I'm fairly sure that you won't be able to order a Tag with someone elses Herdmark on it though.
 

[Button End Beasts]

Hi chicken feed and snapper,


Yes, I phoned the BPA last week and they gave me their OSB reps number and I chatted to him last week. It was he who,said I now need to double tag and that I should put MY herd mark on the back but the breeders details ( identifier) and pig # on the front.


From the posts on here, this doesn't sound right. Think I'm going to now put all this in writing, send it to the BPA and OSB rep and ask them to verify that the advice I've ben given is correct and the way to proceed.

[Button End Beasts]

Hmm another thought, yes the breeders made a genuine mistake, I have talked to them. But even if they gave me a tag, I guess i still would need to get the BPA paperwork amended, which clearly states in it that the pig has only been ear tattooed. Why didn't the BPA pick up on that?

[Fowgill Farm]

Why didn't the BPA pick up on that?

because when they log data it could be as well baked beans as pigs, they're just data inputters! It why there are so many 'mistakes' in the herd books!
mandy
 

[jennapiggy]

I know i am in the same position as you my pig is now 1 and that it the maximum age that they can be untagged for but the problem is its a self tag one i got for him and i really dont want to do it myself:/ anyway i will let you know how he gets on.

Jenna:)