What Size tags for baby calves and info on them?

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RSC

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Joined
Jan 30, 2007
Messages
1,998
Location
Shelby, NE
Just currious as to ideas others have on size of tags, what info on the tag and numbering system?  As a kid we just had a commercial operation so small tags with just the cow number on them was just fine.  What does everyone use for calves, small, medium or large?  Do you put sire and BD on the tag.  Do you put the same number as cow or change it so that it can be used later if the calf is a heifer and a replacement?  Just trying to come up with ideas to number the cows so that I can best identify what they are for me as well as the wife and kids?

Thanks,

RSC
 

kanshow

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Joined
May 24, 2007
Messages
2,660
Location
Kansas
We use the largest tags because DH  practically writes a novel on them.  Somehow he gets birthdate, bull id, calf number, cow number.  The calf number and cow number are about the same size.    Heifers are tagged in one ear, bulls in the other.    Registered/PB calves get one color, commercials get another color.  Twins & fostered calves  are tagged in both ears.
 

Bawndoh

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Joined
Dec 17, 2007
Messages
720
We used to always use full sized allflex.  Now have switched to the small size as they dont hook them and loose them so much (in pasture or on bale feeders).  On Purebreds (RA) we put calf #, sire and dam #.  Also put on owner initials if one of us has cows at each others place (within the family).  The commercials just get plain white, and their own number.
Oh, and we are in Canada....so they all get the RFID!!!
We have notised that the smaller tags have been better, the marker will wear off some of them before they lose them!!
 

Jill

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Joined
Jan 20, 2007
Messages
3,551
Location
Gardner, KS
The steers all get the small tags, the heifers we use the big tags so we don't have to change them out for the ones we end up keeping.  We have several calves a year that are just fabulous at birth and we know we are going to show them, or they are funky colored and you can pick them out we don't put tags in them at all.  We put the year letter at the top cow name in the center and bull on the bottom, recips get donor name and recips name or #.
 
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