Agri Vehicles Insurance from Greenlands

Author Topic: New sheep and their ears tags?  (Read 8615 times)

Foobar

  • Joined Mar 2012
  • South Wales
Re: New sheep and their ears tags?
« Reply #15 on: September 02, 2014, 03:44:15 pm »
yeah speak to the seller first, he should have double tagged them all properly.  (but yeah, the onus is on the buyer to check before buying too ;))

georgielmgm

  • Joined May 2014
  • 17, starting small with my 8 ewes
Re: New sheep and their ears tags?
« Reply #16 on: September 02, 2014, 05:46:33 pm »
The plot thickens.....
Just been out to inspect them aaaand - 6 have 1 yellow EID eartag with the flock number he gave me (on the movement licence) but no other number :/ 2 of the Suffolk crosses have 1 yellow with 2 number on, both different from his flock number, and 1 purple tag with another (if I remember rightly) 2 numbers on? The silly thing wouldn't stop wrestling with me long enough to let me have a good look  ::) so I would assume (?) He's bought those 2 Suffolks in? That doesn't explain the lack of ID number on the other 6 ewes' tags...
At this point, would I be easier to just take all their tags out (some of them are gunky and sore anyway) and buy replacements when me flock number comes in the post?

Backinwellies

  • Global Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Llandeilo Carmarthenshire
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Re: New sheep and their ears tags?
« Reply #17 on: September 02, 2014, 06:15:30 pm »
The plot thickens.....
Just been out to inspect them aaaand - 6 have 1 yellow EID eartag with the flock number he gave me (on the movement licence) but no other number :/ 2 of the Suffolk crosses have 1 yellow with 2 number on, both different from his flock number, and 1 purple tag with another (if I remember rightly) 2 numbers on? The silly thing wouldn't stop wrestling with me long enough to let me have a good look  ::) so I would assume (?) He's bought those 2 Suffolks in? That doesn't explain the lack of ID number on the other 6 ewes' tags...
At this point, would I be easier to just take all their tags out (some of them are gunky and sore anyway) and buy replacements when me flock number comes in the post?

This is exactly why we all have to record everything now .... owners who just buy and sell without keeping proper records ... no traceability of medicine or health records ............ get in touch with previous owner he has sold illegally!.......... the ones with just a flock number sound like slaughter tags ... used only for young stock destined for slaughter within a year of birth .... cant  sell on without proper double tagging.
« Last Edit: September 02, 2014, 06:18:25 pm by Backinwellies »
Linda

Don't wrestle with pigs, they will love it and you will just get all muddy.

Let go of who you are and become who you are meant to be.

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mowhaugh

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Scottish Borders
    • Facebook
Re: New sheep and their ears tags?
« Reply #18 on: September 02, 2014, 06:33:45 pm »
So, what it sounds like is that 6 of the sheep have slaughter tags in them.  These are single yellow tags, which only display the flock number visually on the tags.  They do have an individual number, but this is only stored on the electronic chip, so you would need a reader to find out what it is.

As they are this years' lambs, this is a perfectly legal/acceptable thing for the vendor to have done, but maybe not all that helpful - did you discuss with him what you want the sheep for?  Of course, he may well have tagged them at birth not expecting to sell them for breeding.  If you are wanting to fatten and slaughter them before 12 months, the single tag is completely fine, and you don't need to do anything.  However, if you want to keep them beyond 12 months, you need to double tag them.  You can remove the tags and re tag with a pair (could be yellow and purple to match the others, we use a different colour every year so we know instantly how old they are) and you MUST record that you have done this in your flock register.

Pairs of tags will display both the flock number and an individual number visually on the tag, as well as this being stored on the electronic chip.  The two tags, yellow and purple in your case, will both display both numbers, i.e. they should look exactly the same except for the colour.  If the flock number is different to the flock number of the vendor, then you are right, that would mean he had bought them in and sold them to you.

The vendor should have sent you a list of numbers.  For your flock record, you could either record the two you have the full numbers for correctly and just record the other 6 as '6 ewe lambs ex flock UK WHATEVER, retag the six and then record the change, and I'd be reasonably confident if you had an inspection you should be OK as you've tried your best, or ideally find someone who can read the elctronic chips for you (not sure where you are, if you are in the Scottish Borders/North Northumberland I'll come and do it for you) - maybe the vendor can? and then record all the numbers properly.

Re their ears, how sore are they?  If it is just a bit of gunk round the hole, I would clean it all off then spray with some antibiotic spray (both sides) and leave the tags for now, but if the ear is swollen, you'd need to check for infection tracks - it can burst right out of the tip of the ear so feel all over with your fingernails for scabs, then thoroughly clean.  In general, you shouldn't be removing tags, but if it is a welfare issue, then do, but ensure you keep the old tags until you've recorded the replacement numbers.

georgielmgm

  • Joined May 2014
  • 17, starting small with my 8 ewes
Re: New sheep and their ears tags?
« Reply #19 on: September 02, 2014, 09:20:56 pm »
Ok thanks, that all sounds like really sound advice!

To be honest I'm not 100% sure what is going on with these different tags and some done right and some not, my mum has said she'll come and give me a hand at the weekend to have a real good look at them and figure it out!

Their ears are sort of dried blood, bit weepy, not really swollen but quite a lot of scabbing building up, more than i would like...i tried spraying 1 with septiclense a few days ago but it didn't seem to have made much difference today, perhaps I should have taken the scab/bloody gunk off then sprayed? But that sounds painful?

mowhaugh

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Scottish Borders
    • Facebook
Re: New sheep and their ears tags?
« Reply #20 on: September 02, 2014, 09:28:21 pm »
Yep, gunk off, then spray.  Good luck!  You might want to wear gloves, the gunk might be stinky.

georgielmgm

  • Joined May 2014
  • 17, starting small with my 8 ewes
Re: New sheep and their ears tags?
« Reply #21 on: September 02, 2014, 10:07:28 pm »
How lovely! Pretty strong stomach anyway but got a little too close to comfort whilst dagging a nice, fresh, scourey one today...at least she stood nicely!  :thumbsup:

Backinwellies

  • Global Moderator
  • Joined Sep 2012
  • Llandeilo Carmarthenshire
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Re: New sheep and their ears tags?
« Reply #22 on: September 03, 2014, 01:03:19 pm »
https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/191538/sheep-tag-rules101217.pdf

Please refer to above link ....  the colour of tags required when replacing is very clear.


https://www.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/299025/pb14142-sheep-goats-guidance-140328.pdf

this link gives a lot of clear info on sheep identification and registration systems for England (are you in England?)
Linda

Don't wrestle with pigs, they will love it and you will just get all muddy.

Let go of who you are and become who you are meant to be.

http://nantygroes.blogspot.co.uk/
www.nantygroes.co.uk
Nantygroes  facebook page

georgielmgm

  • Joined May 2014
  • 17, starting small with my 8 ewes
Re: New sheep and their ears tags?
« Reply #23 on: September 04, 2014, 02:46:49 pm »
Oh thanks, they are really useful :) Took me a couple of days to get round to reading them, school and all  :-\

mowhaugh

  • Joined Jul 2013
  • Scottish Borders
    • Facebook
Re: New sheep and their ears tags?
« Reply #24 on: September 04, 2014, 06:07:26 pm »
How lovely! Pretty strong stomach anyway but got a little too close to comfort whilst dagging a nice, fresh, scourey one today...at least she stood nicely!  :thumbsup:

I wasn't so much thinking of your stomach, more of the fact that the stink is hard to get off and no one might want to sit next to you at school for a week  ;D

georgielmgm

  • Joined May 2014
  • 17, starting small with my 8 ewes
Re: New sheep and their ears tags?
« Reply #25 on: September 04, 2014, 07:29:30 pm »
Ohhhhhh ok! I'll probably want gloves then! I have a dinner on Saturday night and planned to sort them in the afternoon...Have taken note! :thumbsup:

 

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