Modern sheep farms, for convenience and to facilitate the work process, practice maintaining numbered records of livestock. Tagging, or marking, of sheep, as a way of providing animals with informational insignia, allows farmers to classify the herd, optimize the processes of accounting and slaughter, and timely carry out treatment and preventive measures. The procedure is rightfully considered one of the main organizational elements of the cattle breeding sector.
Pros and cons of labeling
Livestock marking, thanks to the list of undeniable advantages, is gradually becoming a generally accepted practice, solving local problems of identifying animals, providing medical care, as well as industry-wide issues of preventing the spread of dangerous infections.
Sheep tagging solves a number of livestock problems, allowing farmers and breeders to:
- rank the herd by gender, age, breed, productivity;
- ensure proper zootechnical and veterinary control;
- distinguish animals when grazing together with herds of other farms;
- exclude inbreeding;
- carry out targeted selection for slaughter.
Relative disadvantages include additional costs for the procedure and the possible need for the participation of specialists, but, according to farmers, the costs are ultimately worth it.
Types of markings
There are long-known simple methods of marking sheep and more information-intensive modern techniques with minimal risk of injury to animals.
The most widely used methods are:
- tweezing on the ear;
- ear tattoo;
- installation of various ear tags;
- burning on the horns;
- chipping.
The use of ear pliers is a common folk marking method. Available temporary methods are also widely used: colored wax markers on the chest, paint marks on the forehead, collars. New techniques are more effective, informative and safe.
How to mark sheep at home
Tags can have different appearances and carry different amounts of information. Females are usually marked with one ear, and males with the opposite ear, which allows sheep to be quickly distinguished by gender without catching or unnecessary manipulation.
Ear tweezers
Tweezing on a sheep's ear is made with a special device.Animals are classified depending on the location of the plucks (left or right ear), their number and shape. When carrying out the procedure, you must follow sanitary rules and confidently use the equipment.
To make tweezers, you can use universal pliers. The process usually requires the presence of a specialist.
Tattoo
The tattooing method is widely used to mark sheep with white ears. Marks containing information about the animal in the form of symbols are applied using tattoo pliers. It is customary to mark the inner surface of the ear, free from hair. The symbols remain on the skin thanks to the coloring tattoo composition. It is customary to arrange the elements and read the mark in the direction from left to right.
The numbers usually indicate the year of birth and the serial number of the sheep, by which you can quickly find in the journal notes on vaccination, other interventions, data on productivity and lambing. The letters indicate the name of the male sire, an abbreviation of the name of the farm, or abbreviated information about the seller of the cattle.
The method allows you to introduce a multi-level accounting system using a combined code, but more often simple number accounting is practiced, in which detailed information can be found by number in the corresponding journal or veterinary passport.
Earrings, metal or plastic tags
The essence of the method is to attach a plate with marking elements to the sheep's ear by piercing it. The design resembles earrings. Originally, metal tags actually looked like earrings.
Plastic tags come in different colors.Additional information is applied in a code of numbers and letters to the free edge of the product. Tags with an empty field are filled in with a marker. Developed farms order tags with laser markings, which will not be erased over time, unlike a marker.
Burning on the horns
The thermal method is traumatic for livestock and is not universal. The code is applied to the surface of the horn by burning. The method is applicable to sheep breeds characterized by massive horns.
Subcutaneous chip placement
Chipping is a type of electronic marking. A chip containing information about the animal is implanted into the subcutaneous layers of the sheep. Data is read using the scanning method. The microchipping procedure is easily tolerated by livestock, allows you to quickly obtain the necessary information, but requires special equipment and associated costs.
