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Volume 3, Number 2 Spring 1999
Editor, Deb Kimball
Tattooing and Ear Tagging Your Sheep
From conversations on the elist
Priscilla Meinholz wrote: The Canadian Livestock Records Corporation (CLRC)
states that “the registered identification letters (flock I.D.) of the owner
of the lamb at birth, are to be tattooed in the lamb’s right ear within 100
days of birth. (These identification letters or “flock code” must be applied
for and approved through CLRC). All lambs also must be tattooed in their left
ear with a different number, followed by the designation “year letter” used
to signify the year of birth. (The year 1999 was letter “J” - 2000 was
letter “K” and so on). Please note: The letters “I” “O” “Q” and
“V” are not used). We find tattooing to be a messy job, with us ending up
being nearly as green as the sheep. This is definitely a job for your oldest
clothes, and a two-person effort.
For best results, the ear should be cleaned with rubbing alcohol prior to
tattooing, and then dried. (We use 3/8” tattoo digits). Apply green tattoo
paste to the early (we use an old toothbrush), squeeze the ear between tattoo
tongs (ideally small holes will be made with no bleeding - make sure to try to
miss the veins in the ears), and then immediately rub additional green paste
over the area with either a finger or a toothbrush.
Here at our farm we use Allflex sheep ear tags in addition to tattooing. We
use the ear tags so we can easily identify each animal from a distance The ear
tag must be attached as close to the base of the ear (near the head) as possible
in order that there be sufficient room for the required tattoo. Tattooing
supplies and ear tags can be ordered from many sources.
Stefania Dignum wrote: For years now I have used small aluminum tags that I
get from Livestock Records in Ottawa (CLRC). These are called lambtags and I put
them on the lamb before they get out of the lambing pen - that is before they
are 3 days old. If put fairly close to the head, these stay in quite well.
Drawback: these tags cannot be read from a distance. In numbering your lambs,
you don’t have to start every year with 001. You can start with any number as
long as that number is used only once a year. Because these tags are small, they
can grow into the ear. That can be avoided by putting the tag near the edge of
the ear. They are small and so are the pliers that are used to put them into the
year. They are light weight and do not get snagged on things like the big tags.
Another way that I have used to identify horned ewes from a distance is to
brand the ID number into the horn. I use an electric wood burning tool. This
kind of I.D. can be read from a distance but will gradually wear off as the
sheep gets older.
***NOTE: Since
this article was written, tagging requirements have changed to reflect the
scrapie programs now in place that affect livestock. All livestock that are
moved must be identified with an approved tag with the flock’s “Scrapie
I.D.” - for more information about the scrapie program, please visit this
website: www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/nahps/scrapie
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