The Source
Put your name on it.
With school back in session, I think every teacher across the country will be repeating, "Put your name on it!" — a million times a day. Kids always find a way to leave a notebook here, a lunch box there. Without a nametag, those items go directly to the lost and found never to be found again.
That's not to mention all those homework assignments that go missing without a name. During college, I used to substitute teach at a local high school, and trying to figure out which person went with what paper was just about as much fun as searching the pasture for "that black cow with kind of long hair on her poll."
My dad is famous for those types of descriptions.
However, what Dad thinks a cow looks like and what I am thinking about can be a night-and-day difference. That's where ear tags come into play. I love tags that can be read at a distance and that actually stay in the cow's ear. When Dad says check on red tag 729, life is much easier. We both know exactly which cow and what pasture because, on our operation, each pasture has a different-colored ear tag.
This year in particular, our family came to fully understand why our herd organization works so well. Right after we started fall calving, I got hurt. My brother had to do my chores and check my cows for six weeks. If we didn't have proper identification (ID) in place, and he had to rely on my descriptions alone, he would have been even crazier than he is now. Plus, the chores would have taken him much longer. Believe me, that's a terrible combination.
Simple ID options
Producers need tags to identify their cows and calves for profitability, communication and maybe, most importantly, sanity. To help with these goals, the American Angus Association launched the Tag Store, www.customcattletags.com. The online store offers quality ear tags at an affordable price. Plus, if you're like me, you have many ideas for tags, but just don't know how they will really look.
If you visit the website, you can create a proof of the tag prior to ordering and test-drive the colors and placement of the text on the tags. Maybe you want the cow's number above the calf number and would like to add the sire's name below the calf number? You have that option, and you can even add your phone number or brand to the back of the tag. The options are endless, and it's fun to experiment. You can even customize the tag stud you are going to use!
When the Tag Store first opened, I thought all orders would be for cattle, but was I ever wrong. We've had folks order ear tags for "Save the Date" cards, name place cards for wedding receptions, and the most popular order is for luggage tags for traveling or sports teams. Some companies also use the smallest tags for key chains or an out-of-the-ordinary business card. Being different has its advantages.
The tags come in nine different colors and you can choose from four sizes of panel tags. That's not all — e.Tags, Combo e.Tags, ChoiceSet and 840 tags are available, as well as other tag-related items such as taggers, pins, markers, knives, readers, panel antennas and headgate kits. All tags are manufactured by Destron Fearing approximately three to five business days after an order is placed.
Determine your numbering system
Consistency is key when labeling ear tags in your cow herd. You can use only numbers or incorporate an alpha-numeric numbering system. Many producers use the last digit of the year. For example, 2012 calves would have a tag that reads 2001. Another option for 2012 would be Z001. Z is the letter representing 2012. Maybe this calf came from dam number 27, so you could use Z27.
I personally like to use different colors with the first digit of the year. Since the number comes around again, I can designate the tag color. Plus, if toward the end of calving season we mix some cows from different locations that don't have calves, it's easy for anyone to haul them back to the correct group by tag color.
The choices are endless and can be customized to the needs of your operation. Click here to revisit the "Tagging Techniques" story in the January 2012 edition, in which readers of the Angus Beef Bulletin EXTRA shared their numbering systems.
Your assignment, students, is to get some ear tags to identify your cows. Use numbers or incorporate an alpha-numeric system, add some color and you're all set. The Tag Store is online for your benefit, so log on today and customize a set of tags for your herd. You and your family will be glad you did.
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