Animal Tagging: Ear Tags, Applicators and Bands for the Herd

Animal Tagging: Ear Tag, Band or Paint

Tagging has two sides to it. One is the permanent, official identity carried by the ear tag. The other is the marking you need for the working week, when you want a cow flagged for a few days because she is under treatment or in heat. You find both here, across species for cattle, sheep, goats, pigs and poultry.

Ear tags and the matching applicator

The most common mistake when ordering is to treat tag and applicator as separate items. Every system has its own applicator, and the wrong pin sets the tag crooked or tears the ear. That is why we stock the applicators to match the systems: for FlexoPlus and MultiFlex, for PrimaFlex in sizes 0 to 3, Twintag in aluminium with a tension spring, and the Allflex applicator for official AMA ear tags. If you run more than one system on the farm, a conversion kit is worth more than a second applicator. Blank cattle ear tags come in the D/D and F/F versions in packs of 25.

Bands, marker sticks and tail paint

For marking that only has to last a while, bands are the tool of choice. Leg bands with hook and loop or a clip fastening come in several colours, also as a holder for leg band numbers and pedometers, and neck marking straps with a ring or clip fastening come at 130 centimetres, with weights so they hang properly. Marker sticks in seven colours write straight onto the coat and hold for several days. For heat detection there is water based tail paint and the tail painter applicator with spare rollers and a paint tank, so you only have to draw over the mark as you walk the herd. For poultry there are spiral rings in 12, 16 and 20 millimetres.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does every applicator fit every ear tag?
No. Applicator and tag have to come from the same system. For mixed herds there are conversion kits.

How long does a marker stick last?
Depending on weather and coat, several days up to two weeks. In the rain the mark fades faster.

What is the tail paint for?
It goes on the tail head. If it is rubbed off, there has been a mount, and you spot that at a glance as you walk the herd.