How do I change the insecticide ear tags?

[Cheryl aka JM]

So last year I put insecticide ear tags in the calves. Keep the flies off their faces. Great idea!

..........I didn't think it through all the way to the next step. How do I get the old tags out of the now much bigger and MUCH LESS cooperative ears of the calves so I can put new ones in?

[francismilker]

Tough to do unless you have a squeeze chute and a rope haltar so you can contain the shaking head on the critter. If you can contain the head movement you can use a pair of electrical dikes to cut the old off and install a new one in the same hole. Once again, a kinda tough project. Especially if you've got several to do.

[genebo]

I saw a man using jute baling twine to fashion a necklace for his cattle. He attached the ear tag to the necklace. Jute will rot in about a year. When it falls off, it's time for a new one.

Jut is not strong enough to pose a strangulation hazard to the cattle. If they get it hooked on something it will break. You're out an ear tag, but still have a live, healthy cow.

I haven't done it myself, but it looks like a neat idea.

Genebo
Paradise Farm

[gone-a-milkin]

A chute would make it easier. You can cut them off with wirecutters and try to reuse the same holes for the new tags. True, they wont like it.

Good luck.

How are your cows doing anyhow? They must be getting pretty good sized by now.

[bruce2288]

A tag cutter, available at vet or store that sell tags, is a lot easier especially if restrait is a problem.

[Cheryl aka JM]

A tag cutter? I don't have to restrain them to use this tool? What does it look like?

The calves are getting big! Mostly they are~ the four I got last May are getting big~ this is them a month ago



The little beef calf I got in Oct seems healthy~ but he doesn't grow. I'll try to get a pic of him this week. He's very small. My husband asked me if maybe he was a dwarf.......well.....if he is it's a shame I steered him!

[gone-a-milkin]

http://www.jefferslivestock.com/ssc/...=2&pf_id=13186

No, you will still need the restraints. Maybe less likely to get hurt with this tool, IDK. Never used one myself.

[Cheryl aka JM]

Okay~ thanks. I don't have a squeeze shoot. But I can try trapping them between a couple gates and give it a try.......the four bigger ones will come to me and walk on a lead still. But I tried giving the heifers a vaccine for mastitis last month........and the girls are DEFINITELY big enough to tell me NO if they don't want to do something! The steers are a bit bigger than the girls too!