Top 5 ways to tag sheep and how you can tag at home
For convenience and ease of work, modern sheep-breeding farms practice number registration of livestock. Tagging, or marking, sheep, as a way of supplying animals with information signs of distinction, allows farmers to classify a herd, optimize accounting and slaughter processes, and take preventive and preventive measures in a timely manner. The procedure is rightfully referred to as the main organizational elements of the livestock sector.
Pros and cons of labeling
Labeling of livestock, thanks to the list of indisputable advantages, is gradually becoming a common practice, solving local problems of animal identification, providing medical care, as well as industry-wide issues of preventing the spread of dangerous infections.
Sheep tagging solves a number of livestock problems, allowing farmers and breeders to:
- rank the herd by sex, age, breed, performance;
- to ensure proper zootechnical and veterinary control;
- to distinguish between animals during joint grazing with herds of other farms;
- exclude closely related crossing;
- conduct targeted selection for slaughter.
The relative disadvantages include the additional costs of carrying out the procedure, the possible need for the participation of specialists, but, according to farmers' reviews, the costs justify themselves in the end.
Varieties of marking
There are long-known simplest ways of marking sheep and more information-intensive modern techniques with minimal risk of injury to animals.
The following methods are most widely used:
- pinches on the auricle;
- ear tattoo;
- installation of various ear tags;
- burning on horns;
- chipping.
Using ear forceps is a common folk labeling method. Available temporary methods are also widely used: colored wax markers on the chest, paint marks on the forehead, collars. New techniques are more effective, informative and safer.
How to tag sheep at home
Tags can be of different appearance and carry different amounts of information. Females are usually marked with one ear, and males - the opposite, which allows you to quickly distinguish sheep by gender without catching and unnecessary manipulation.
Ear protrusions
A sheep's ear pits are made with a special device. Animals are classified according to the location of the indentations (left or right ear), their number and shape. When carrying out the procedure, you must observe sanitary rules and confidently own the technique.
You can use the multipurpose tongs to make the pliers. The process usually requires the presence of a specialist.
Tattoo
The tattoo method is widely used to mark white-eared sheep. Tags containing information about the animal in the form of symbols are applied using tattooing tongs. It is customary to mark the inner surface of the ear, free of hair. The symbols remain on the skin thanks to the coloring composition of the tattoo. It is customary to arrange elements and read the brand from left to right.
The numbers usually indicate the year of birth and the serial number of the sheep, which can be used to quickly find vaccinations, other interventions, productivity and lambing data in the log. Letters indicate the name of the male producer, the abbreviation of the name of the farm or abbreviated data on the seller of the cattle.
The method allows you to introduce a multi-level accounting system using a combined cipher, but more often simple numbered accounting is practiced, in which detailed information can be found by the number in the corresponding journal or veterinary passport.
Earrings, metal or plastic tags
The essence of the method consists in attaching a plate with marking elements to a sheep's ear by piercing it. The design resembles earrings. Initially, metal tags actually looked like earrings.
Plastic tags are available in different colors. Additional information is applied with a cipher of numbers and letters on the free edge of the product. Tags with an empty field are filled with a marker. Developed farms order tags with laser marking, which will not wear off over time, unlike a marker.
Burning on the horns
The thermal method is traumatic for livestock and is not universal. The cipher is applied to the surface of the horn by burning. The method is applicable for ram breeds with massive horns.
Placement of a subcutaneous chip
Chipping is a type of electronic marking. A chip containing information about the animal is implanted into the subcutaneous layers of the sheep. Data reading is performed by scanning method. The chipping procedure is easily tolerated by the cattle, allows you to quickly obtain the necessary information, but requires special equipment and corresponding costs.
