My husband and I bought our first cows about 38 years ago. I can remember the day we picked them up, and on the way home we stopped at the vet's to have them checked.
It was a mixed bunch, and over the next few years we culled and added to our small herd. My father-in-law had milk cows and had sold them years before, and he also decided to get back into cattle.
Like many people that have combined cattle herds, we came up with an ear tag system that worked well. We started out with tags in the left ear for us, and the right ear for the in-laws.
Unfortunately, the pastures we rent have a lot of brush, and we lost quite a few tags and damaged a lot of ears. Also, bale feeders are another source for pulling out tags. Our vets recommended using the Dewlap Tags, and these have worked very well for more than 20 years now.
We still use the colored ear tags for calves, but now with the addition of our son's cattle, we have gone to different colors for each owner. When a calf is born, we try to have them tagged within a day of being born (note:keywords. try to,) and the tag is numbered to match the cow. As heifers are evaluated in the spring, the ear tags are replaced with a Dewlap Tag with it's own unique number.
One thing we do recommend is working with your vet when first attempting this. Cattle do need to be in a headgate, and you will need to use a halter. To us, cleanliness is extremely important when working cattle for any reason. Per the manufacturer directions: Positioning at the junction of the neck and brisket is very important. First clip/shave hair with clippers and use the punch applicator to put a hole through the loose skin. The U-shaped plastic coated hasp is placed through the hole and the tag placed over the hasp. The ends of the hasp are bent back and over to hold the tag in place.
Like most cattle owners that tag, you want specific information on your tags. We mark our own, but custom tags can be easily ordered. As custom tag orders can take a few weeks to get made and shipped (depending on the time of year), you will need to plan ahead. Having all the items for any tagging job on hand is key. With the Dewlap tags you will need to make sure you have a halter to secure the head, clipper to trim the area, and the toggle punch applicator. Patience, and time, are important. It may take a little more time than a regular ear tag, but the results are well worth it.
If you are like us, you can pretty much tell which cow is which. My personal favorite cow was Dot (named after the big dot on her forehead), her offspring was Dot's Daughter, followed by Dot to Dot, and DD. After a few years we had to change to just a number. We also had progressed to buying purebred South Devon cattle which were a solid color. Although each cow had their own physical traits, to most people they look pretty much alike.
It was a mixed bunch, and over the next few years we culled and added to our small herd. My father-in-law had milk cows and had sold them years before, and he also decided to get back into cattle.
Like many people that have combined cattle herds, we came up with an ear tag system that worked well. We started out with tags in the left ear for us, and the right ear for the in-laws.
Unfortunately, the pastures we rent have a lot of brush, and we lost quite a few tags and damaged a lot of ears. Also, bale feeders are another source for pulling out tags. Our vets recommended using the Dewlap Tags, and these have worked very well for more than 20 years now.
We still use the colored ear tags for calves, but now with the addition of our son's cattle, we have gone to different colors for each owner. When a calf is born, we try to have them tagged within a day of being born (note:keywords. try to,) and the tag is numbered to match the cow. As heifers are evaluated in the spring, the ear tags are replaced with a Dewlap Tag with it's own unique number.
One thing we do recommend is working with your vet when first attempting this. Cattle do need to be in a headgate, and you will need to use a halter. To us, cleanliness is extremely important when working cattle for any reason. Per the manufacturer directions: Positioning at the junction of the neck and brisket is very important. First clip/shave hair with clippers and use the punch applicator to put a hole through the loose skin. The U-shaped plastic coated hasp is placed through the hole and the tag placed over the hasp. The ends of the hasp are bent back and over to hold the tag in place.
Like most cattle owners that tag, you want specific information on your tags. We mark our own, but custom tags can be easily ordered. As custom tag orders can take a few weeks to get made and shipped (depending on the time of year), you will need to plan ahead. Having all the items for any tagging job on hand is key. With the Dewlap tags you will need to make sure you have a halter to secure the head, clipper to trim the area, and the toggle punch applicator. Patience, and time, are important. It may take a little more time than a regular ear tag, but the results are well worth it.
If you are like us, you can pretty much tell which cow is which. My personal favorite cow was Dot (named after the big dot on her forehead), her offspring was Dot's Daughter, followed by Dot to Dot, and DD. After a few years we had to change to just a number. We also had progressed to buying purebred South Devon cattle which were a solid color. Although each cow had their own physical traits, to most people they look pretty much alike.
People that do not have cattle do not realize how important record keeping on cows and their offspring is. Through the years notes in a notebook have gone to notes in a computer program. My husband continues to use his notebook and considers it his "hardcopy". Some things you can’t change no matter how you try. Helen
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