EARTAGS - Which brand is best?

[LISA]

What are peoples experiences of differant brands of eartags in terms of being reliable and staying in the ear.
The Metal (ketchum) type and the "button" tags seem to almost never come out,but the bigger plastic ones seem to constantly get lost.
We currently use Ketchum tags but are thinking about trying a differant brand.We have bought in cattle tagged with differant brands but these too lose thiers.
There isn't anything in our fields that they are catching them on such as pig netting,they seem to just fall out!
Which brand have you found to be the most and least reliable,and which company the most helpful and cost effective for replacemant? To Ketchums credit they are extreemly efficient and will get you a tag next day-they just don't stay in!

Thankyou
Lisa Bell

[Broomcroft]

We used to fit Fearing which came out easily and often. We phoned Fearing who said they are designed to come out so as not to damage the ear. Anyhow, we swapped to Dalton and nothing came out for a year. We now have lost a few and the invariably tear the ear badly, so I am considering going back to using the small metal tag and a make of large one that is designed to come out.

We also fit a tiny little tag at birth with just a simple number on like 123 meaning that this animal is Broomcroft No 123. It is so small (less than half the size of a normal sheep tag) that they do not even know they've had it fitted and none have come out (yet). But it's just a management tag and unofficial.

For our sheep we use Shearwell and at any time we have between 400 and 700 sheep on the farm, each double-tagged. We have lost two tags in two years! Don't know what their cattle tags are like.

There is a company that are so confident that their cattle tags will not come out that they will supply replacements free of charge forever....but I can't recall who it is? It might be Shearwell.

I do wish someone would invent a simple and effective way of identifying animals instead of ear tags.



Edited By Broomcroft on 1244900621

[natmadaboutdexters]

We use Ritchey tags which seem to stay in quite well. They generally do next day delivery on their orders which is very useful when the bull loses his tag on a Friday and we are going to a show on a Saturday! We tend to use a small round yellow plastic and a large plastic tag. The big downside is that if the big one comes out it often tears the ear.

Natasha

[Louise Badcock]

Ketchum are indeed very efficient. However I have had a lot of tags lost especially in a short time about 18 months ago. The company admitted a problem with the tags and supplied new ones FOC.

[springwater]

Shearwell's will supply replacement tags free of charge. We've found them pretty reliable about staying put and they are very helpful with a very quick service (and I'm not on commission :D )
Carina

[davidw]

I am using Fearing and regretting it. Of 7 cattle tagged last year, 6 have lost their tags either through the tag pulling out or the pin breaking.

[Martin]

I now use Denimex as their tags are more flexible than others on the market and I have found them to be superior to other tags used in the past.
I have a stock of Ketchums that I have to use and seem to be replacing a few each year. I have been using Denimex for replacements for a few years now and have not had a lost tag of theirs yet.
Contact 01622 850057, posted the day order recieved.

[Felicity]

I couldnt agree with you more Martin I have been using Denimex eartags since I started keeping Dexters and havnt lost a single tag in over eight years.

[moomin]

I have found Denimex excellent too. They cut a cross in the ear as they go through so there is much less chance of infection. Flesh does not get pushed into the female part of the tag like most that spear a hole.
Denimex were the first to do this and I think Ritchie pinched it before Denimex had time to patent it!
They are a very small company and give an excellent service. Cannot speak too highly of them or of their tags.
Di