Hair Tags

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cowz

Well-known member
Joined
Jan 10, 2007
Messages
1,492
We have done this method alot this time of year when the mud is unbelievable and mudballs are just what happens to cattle with hair:

Use buckets of really warm water with Dawn dish soap to soften them up.  Then we  get 2 people to sit on buckets on either side, with sharp pocket knifes.  Split each mudball in half, then soak some more.  If they are really bad, squirt a little dish soap on each and every hairball.  Sounds insane, but with about an hours work, 2 people can open and soak off the mud and save the hair with a little elbow grease.  I know this sounds crazy, but we have had to do this before.  Hope you can find a warm shed to do this in!
 

rtmcc

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 11, 2008
Messages
727
Location
Peterson, MN
We will spray them with mineral oil about three days in a row.  The oil will soak in but will not evaporate like water.  The mud and manure will soften up so when you go to wash it comes out easier.  The oil also seems to follow the hair follicle into the mud ball so it helps it slide off easier.  The mineral oil will not harm the hair or skin like petroleum base products can.

No Matter what, it takes a lot of elbow  grease!    <cowboy>.


 

yousesteers

Well-known member
Joined
Oct 25, 2008
Messages
192
Location
Emden, MO
IF you are talking the back tags put on in a sale barn good luck I know we use weatherstrip adhesive which is a glue made to with stand any type of weather the cattle will eventually after a few weeks rub them off you could try to put an adhesive remover under the tag and see if that would allow it to work loose
 

kanshow

Well-known member
Joined
May 24, 2007
Messages
2,660
Location
Kansas
If you are talking about hte glued on tags like the estrus alerts - we use the EZAll adhesive remover.
 

ba

Well-known member
Joined
Jul 4, 2007
Messages
332
Location
Rockville Indiana
If you will put them in the chute and use a fogger on the end of the
blower or use a garden sprayer saturate and let it soak a couple of
days then you can work through it.It just takes time and elbow grease
 

Shady Lane

Well-known member
Joined
Mar 30, 2009
Messages
515
Location
Saskatchewan Canada
This is one of those issure where "An Ounce of prevention is greater than a pound of cure".

IE keeping cattle clean and preventing the tag in the first place is the best sollution.

However, once you have the tag the ideas mentioned above will likely help to remove it.

One other trick I have seen used with great success (altough I have never done it personally) is to take some new engine oil, paint it on liberally with a paintbrush and allow to soak in.

Do this a couple days in a row and it really seems to soften the tag and make it much easier to remove.

I saw this done on a Limi heifer a few years ago that pretty much rattled when she walked she had so much tag on her and a few applications in this manner and they showed that heifer 10 days later.

Just a sugestion that might be worth trying, as somebody allready mentioned, maybe mineral oil is a better option but I have seen the motor oil thing work.

 
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