From birth, livestock require proper identification. Ongoing record keeping is essential to track details like birthdate, parentage, and even ownership. These same records help to manage health and production at the individual animal and whole herd levels.

Whether a farm has a dozen, hundreds, or even thousands of animals on hand, tackling the task of detailed record-keeping dues can be overwhelming. Livestock marking systems make it quick and easy to identify individuals among the herd, sort or grade animals and track other important data, including:

● Animals recently vaccinated or treated for illness

● Heat detection in females

● Successful breeding attempts

● Livestock selected for cull

Read on for an overview of common livestock marking systems and applications for each type of marker available from Farmer Boy.

Ear Tags for Individual identification

Ear tags are a common and essential livestock management tool. They offer visual identification of an individual animal and can easily indicate year of birth, sire or dam, sex and more. Ear tags are available in a variety of shapes, sizes, and colors and are offered with imprinted numbers and letters or blank that can be inked by the producer using a marking pen.

Tags are easy to insert with a hand-held applicator and are durable, flexible and weather resistant. They’re also highly visible and can be read from front and back, making identification from a distance trouble-free.

Livestock Tagging Strategies

Livestock ear tags can be used in several different ways to tag and identify livestock. The strategies employed will depend on the type of farm and livestock being tagged; however, an easy identifier for specific information is often extremely important for a farm’s operation.

Tagging to identify Sex

●Allows quick sorting by male or female from across the field, as animals move in a holding pen or travel through a chute.

●Save time with a consistent approach. For example, tag all males in the left ear and all females in the right ear.

●This practice can be an effective management tool regardless of whether you raise cale, hogs, sheep, goats or other animals.

Tagging to Indicate Year of Birth, Sire, or Dam

●There are a few ways to do this using tags, saving producers from the need to check teeth or dig through records:

●Use a different color for each year, sire or dam as either a primary or secondary tag.

●For year of birth, begin the tag number series with the year. For example, tag number 22011 may indicate the animal was the eleventh born in 2022.

●For sire or dam, imprint or handwrite the sire’s name or dam’s tag number on the tag of the progeny

RFID Tags

Ear tags are typically inexpensive but can be ripped out, a drawback of the system, no matter the species being tagged. Some tags are also used to indicate unique premises ID numbers or come equipped with radio frequency identification technology (RFID) that electronically assists with traceability for interstate commerce purposes and travel to livestock shows, fairs and auctions.

Marking Sprays and Dyes for Longer Shots and Longer-Term Marks

Sprays and dyes are ideal for temporarily to semi-permanently marking most types of livestock and make sortingstraightforward . These vibrant, high-visibility spray-on colors are durable and offer reliable spray in all temperatures.

Spray paints are often used with heat detection and for other shorter-term identification purposes such as the indication of singles, twins or triplets in lambs and goats or to number newborn animals prior to tagging, for example. Expect up to four-weeks of visibility with paints, even on wet surfaces.

Dyes produce longer lasting marks that are UV resistant, not affected by moisture and will not wash away once dry. Use dye for any sorting needs that require a longer lasting mark.

With both paints and dyes, choose from colors like red, blue, green and black, including some fluorescent colors. The variety of colors available makes marking cale and livestock simple regardless of the animal’s color.Dyes are also available in economical mix and sprayconcentratesfor use with a pump sprayer.

Paint sticks for All Weather application

Versatilepaint sticks and markerscan be used across nearly all livestock marking applications from sorting and inoculation to tail chalking for heat detection , breeding and general animal health management. They perform great in all weather conditions and work rain or shine, hot or cold. Apply marks to wet or dry animals.

These non-toxic temporary marking sticks come in eight regular colors and four fluorescent colors to provide clear, bright and easily identifiable marks that are fade resistant.

Available in both crayon and twist-up styles, they’re non-toxic real paint that’s safe for use on cows, pigs and other livestock. Choose the twist-up paint sck for clean hands and clothes through the marking process.

Marking crayons are also available for chest harnesses, ideal for use on rams during breeding season. The harness is constructed of durable nylon and is adjustable to fit the size of your ram. The crayon leaves a mark over the rump of the ewe during the breeding process and allows for easy indication of which ewes have been covered by the ram.

Make Your Mark on Herd Management – Explore Livestock Marking Products from Farmer Boy

Farmer Boy is your source for livestock marking systems. Shop onlinenow or call 1-800-845-3374 for help finding the right supplies to organize your herd and maximize health and production management record keeping with an accurate and efficient marking system.