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03/13/10, 04:08 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: SE Ohio
Posts: 2,174
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Placement of metal ear tags
I went ahead and ordered Scrapies tags again this year. I insisted on the metal ear tags this time due to the elf ears in our herd.
Since I've never actually tagged a goat's ear, I'm just not sure where I should try to place these tags.
Anyone else use the metal ear tags (like teh Bang's tags in cow's ears)?
We've already decided to put the tags in the right ears for does and left ear for bucks/wethers to make herd health days easier on those helping me. I may know which goat is which but describing the goat to others when ther are about 50 head running around isn't easy. lol
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03/13/10, 04:10 PM
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The cream separator guy
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Southern MO
Posts: 3,919
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Ummm.... I was under the impression that SHEEP got scrapie?
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03/13/10, 05:10 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: SE Ohio
Posts: 2,174
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They do. I think I've only heard of one case of Scrapie in goats.
Doesn't stop the government from tossing them together.
Since the meat kids we ship later will end up with them in their ears anyways, this provides me the chance of having an identification for when others are helping me.
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03/13/10, 05:19 PM
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The cream separator guy
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Join Date: Feb 2010
Location: Southern MO
Posts: 3,919
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So you sell meat goats that you ship? I was unaware goats needed to be in the scrapie program.
Also I don't understand the topic. Is it a question, or just a bit of info? 
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03/13/10, 05:33 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: SE Ohio
Posts: 2,174
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Yes we sell goats for meat. They go into PA and run through a sale barn, then go pretty much direct to slaughter at the plant in that same town.
Laws require they have Scrapies tags in their ears.
I was asking if anyone else uses the metal ear tags and where in the ears they place them. I know where the hauler has placed them in the past, but I was looking for input from people who use them in animals that live longer than a day after having the tags put in their ears.
Most people use the plastic ear tags when tagging goats, but I don't like how big they are and easily ripped out. Plus elf ears can't handle them. I'm not interested in tagging tails and briskets.
I want as little risk of infectiona s possible. Since I haven't tagged animals before I don't know the best place to put them to reduce the risk. I am sure there are places on the ear (varying thikness, veining, etc.) that holds a tag better and reduces the risk of infection.
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03/14/10, 10:06 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 3,830
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We have metal tags in our ears for milk production. Although our ears are really ears there is a lot more space. We just make sure they are going a spot where there is no vein. Again I am sure much easier with real ears.
I will try to post a pic
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03/14/10, 02:06 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: SE Ohio
Posts: 2,174
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That would be great, Steff!
We only have a few elf ear left, but we tend to end up with at least one meat animal with elf ear each year. Zsa-Zsa (LaBoer) blessed us with a pair of elf eared Boer kids.
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03/14/10, 02:07 PM
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More dharma, less drama.
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Texas Coastal Bend/S. Missouri
Posts: 30,482
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Here's the info about the USDA Scrapie Eradication Program:
http://www.aphis.usda.gov/animal_hea...eases/scrapie/
__________________
Alice
* * *
"No great thing is created suddenly." ~Epictitus
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03/16/10, 01:30 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 3,830
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First off let me tell you how hard it is to take pics of the inside of a goats ear by myself.
The trick is too not put it in the veins. As you can see I got close but did not nick it.
Seems like there is plenty of room but the tag is only so wide. Putting it in from the inside so you can see the vein works best. These are two different goats. The second two are the same goat but they are not clear so the first is clear.
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03/16/10, 02:34 PM
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Join Date: Apr 2007
Location: Minnesota
Posts: 46
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I am registered in the NSEP and have a scrapie identification number. I do not use the tags, as my ADGA tatoo is valid as official scrapie identification, only for those animals that are individually registered with ADGA, which all of mine are. If I end up showing my goats, I don't want/can't have tags hanging off their ears. But some markets, sale barns, etc may choose only to accept the ear tags. How would you tag a LaMancha?  Poor babies! The tags are bigger than their ears!
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03/16/10, 03:34 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: SE Ohio
Posts: 2,174
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Thanks so much, Steff!
It looks like you put them fairly close to the head, then?
I won't be tagging the Registerable/Recordable Nubian doelings. The majority of my herd cannot be registered/recorded though. Since over half of each kid crop goes for meat, I am simply to the point where tags make sense. I was not going to go for the big plastic tags that rip out easily though.
Using the metal Scrapies tags kills two birds with one stone. The goats destiend for the sale barn have to have Scrapies tags eventually.
LaManchas are tagged in the tail or in the neck area. I know that some cows are tagged in the brisket area and I would assume goats are the same.
Makes me glad ours have elf ears or longer. I won't likely tag the elf ears until just before they are loaded on the trailer to go to the sale barn. It seems like it would be easier for them to be ripped out this summer while the gaots are out on pasture/browse.
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03/17/10, 05:55 AM
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Banned
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Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: NY
Posts: 3,830
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Yes as close as possible again the tag is not as wide as he distance between outside of ear and vein. The size of the tag is the deciding factor. At least in real ears.LOL
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