Any one tag thier goats?

[mygoat]

I heard that to sell your goats you must tag them. I know that you must tag them if you plan to sell them at an auction, or they can only be sold as meat. This may just be in michigan. I have always thought that tagging in a small herd is stupid, and even stupider if they are pets, and stupidest to tag goats because they always seem to get their heads stuck and thier tags torn out, exc. I do have the tag for one of my goats in my closet, never had it put in, but still own it. When i got daisy, she had the metal tag in her ear, and it was all infected so we took it out and it healed well, only now there is a rectangular hole in her ear still. we threw that one away.

[Wendy]

I do not tag since I tattoo. If I do not tattooo such as in wethers, I will tag them if they go to the salebarn. If the national id goes through, all animals will need to be tagged, tattooed or chipped.

[Goat Freak]

I know that with fullblood or purebreed SHOULD be tagged, if they have papers, because then it helps to identify them.

[mygoat]

tattoing sounds reasonable. but since my goats arent registered there isn't like a certain tattoo that they are supposed to have and they dont have the "yearly letter" and whatnot, at least I dont' think so...

[AmazingAlpines]

Meat goats and unregistered goats are tagged. We tag unregistered animals for the national identification program. Registered/recorded dairy goats are not ussually tagged.

[mygoat]

Originally Posted by buckshotboers

I tag so I can tell by looking who is out of which buck so I don't breed back to fathers. I scrapie tag all females and intact males. I used to tag wethers, but decided not to anymore.

hehe see i don't have to worry about that too much b/c i only have 5 right now, so not so hard to remember them all. Also, because i hope my herd expands, i kinda do that by naming my goats with full names, the last name is inherited from the father just like us. Andre Oso Jackson sired the first two kids here, twin does, and thier names are Cadee Fay Jackson and Ester Lynn Jackson.

[okgoatgal2]

no. my goats are registered with adga, tattooed, and i will not tag them. i have scrapies tags, but they are less permanent than the tattoo, imo, and i will not tag unless i am forced to. i think it is asinine and just another way for the gov't to interfere with us and our rights. too bad a few idiots have to make the rest of us suffer.

[crazygoatgirl]

In most states they do not require tags for animals that are not intact (wethers) However most states do require tags for unregistered breeding age animals. I know here in Arkansas that they do not require tags for registered tattooed animals. If you show market wethers here they must have a scrapie tag in their ear to show.
You might want to check with your Livestock and Poultry Comission or State vet office to find out just what your state requires for ID. Be sure to ask them exactly what is required not what they would like for you to do.
I have LaManchas and they have little to no ear, I will not tag them in the tail web or the neck like they have said it required so I either register them and tattoo them or they go to the sale barn with no papers, tattoos, or tags. It is not required for us to tag animals that are taken to the salebarn as of yet.

[Michael W. Smith]

Originally Posted by kath2003

Hey Mike,
"everything happens for a reason" why don't you believe in it?

I do believe it! However, you can change how things are going to happen - like for instance, if everybody who didn't want this animal ID to come about would write and complain to your elected officials, it's possible that this program would be scrapped. However, if it does come about, then it was "meant" to happen, and happened for a reason.

I think it is a big invasion of our rights and think that the reason for this ID system is not for the good of the public or safety of our animals, but more of an attempt by big business to have the little animal raisers close up shop. If nobody raises chickens for themselves, or sheep, or goats, or beef, you still have to eat and will generate more income for their pockets while giving us processed, sterilized "meat, eggs, milk".

[Eveningstar]

In Michigan, we have to TB test. Yes, Mike, it's like the govt. trying to control us. I don't know what would happen if I refused - they may come in and take the herd and fine me? The only way I could get around this is if I used my animals for my own consumption, meaning I would have to butcher them myself as well, they could not leave the farm. Here we can't move anything (or should I say shouldn't) without a TB tag AND a scrapies tag. I don't tag at all if I have a registered goat and have papers from the ADGA that she/he is owned by me, her tattoo serves as ID. You may want to consider the scenario though. Farmer J sells a goat to Citydweller Q and sends the tags with him, but no bill of sale. City gets transferred and sells it to Countrywannabe M and of course leaves no forwarding address. Country decides he doesn't like goats and sells to Farmer W without tags, Farmer W then has a TB test and the goat is unfortunately a reactor. Guess whos herd bites the dust so-to-speak. So it is a protection to help prevent losses. Now, to what extent they take this is another thing. First, I wouldn't buy anything -sheep, cow, goat, pig... without a bill of sale. Second, I would ask the person for the tags if they weren't already in the ears of UNREGISTERED stock. Third, I would ask to see a TB test within the past year if the herd was run on the same property as cows. (You don't need a TB test if you don't have cows.) Otherwise, I wouldn't risk my herd for a new animal unless the owner would do these things first. Scrapies is "udderly" a waste of state and government money. Scrapies is a sheep/cow disease. And unless a goat were to eat the placenta of an infected sheep, it would be very difficult for a goat to contract the disease. I'm not saying impossible just that the chances would be very minimal. I think who they want to "get rid of" are the small dairy farmers still raising the wonderful rare breeds. Guernsey or Jersey cows, come to mind right away. Same thing with the "Avian Flu" which I think is otherwise known as West Nile virus. Have everyone do away with their small farm flocks because it might make you sick. I'd quit eating chicken before I would by the "dirty" chicken from the store. Don't know what I'd do for eggs though. But ultimately it would be a way to boost egg sales. Now, ready for the latest and greatest? It will be coming down from WI. Chronic Wasting Disease. Oh goody, another tag. So for the goat owner, I'm afraid they have us by the tail. You have to tag unless you are a current member of ADGA and have registration papers for your stock. Luckily, grades can be registered, and complete unknowns can be native on appearance. Other than that, you take your chances. Thanks for reading my "book".

[goatkid]

I tatoo and register most of my goats and they usuallly do not need scrapie tags when I sell them. The ones I shipped to Minnesota needed the tags. I usually don't tag the wethers I sell. None of the goats on my farm have tags. I have scrapie tags on hand for when I ship somewhere that requires it on the health certificate. I have only registered my dairy goats so far. When I sell Boer breeding stock I tag those goats. I do not want to put tags in the ears of any goats unless it is required for sale as I've heard of the goat's ears getting infected.

[computerchick]

I microchip all mine. Costs $13, no worries about tags ripping etc, and avid is already listed with the big registries and teh folks who do the scrapies stuff, and since that's what they want to roll over to the animal id thing...well, anyways, I microchip.

Still laughing figuring out how Aphis is going to make me catch 50+ free ranging guinease and tag them, but that's for a different forum.

With the goats, chipping works best for me.

Andrea