# Ear tattoos?



## NevadaJoe (Apr 27, 2009)

I was curious, four of the goats we've rescued from the auction have tattoos in their ears, on both sides. Does this mean they are registered? Three are alpine, and one is a toggenburg. And if it does, is there a way to find out info on them by looking up their number?

Also, I just rescued a pygmy doe yesterday from the auction. She's about 7 years old judging by her teeth, and I found after we bought her that she has a tag in her ear, says US and then on the inside it says WA and then a number.. does this mean she could be registered?


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

As far as the pygmy does ear tag, it's likely that this is a Scrapie tag, meaning that she has been ID'd as scrapie free and I think the WA could mean Washington state :shrug: 

The tats in the other does ears would mean that they are likely registered.....the left ear would be a letter and a number, the right ear would be the herd ID which can be traced with registries.

If you can, get the tattoos from both ears....post them if you like and maybe other members would be able to help you identify the herd they came from. The tat's in the left ears are the year they were born as well as their birth number in the herd.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Yeah, they are probably registered. The right ear tattoo will tell you the herd that bred them and the left ear will tell you the year they were born and their kid number. You would probably have to use the ADGA (or don't know if they have a saanan and toggs registry) directory and look up their right ear tattoos and see if you can find the herd.

Agree with liz on the pygmy.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree ...with the others....they where.. likely registered at one time...and then sold as unregistered......As mentioned ...you can contact the association.....or lookup the herd prefix on the association website....to track down the original owner.....or even on the scrapies tag .. :wink: :greengrin:


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I wonder if they possibly were sent to the auction without papers because they are CAE, CL, or Johnes positive?? I have heard of that happening quite often. Normally you would want papers with them so they are bid higher at the auction. Hope that is not the case here.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

There is any number of reasons that registered goats are sent to the auction, #1 reason in this area is that there isn't a market for adult goats that need to be sold quickly due to hardship on the owner or the herd needs to be reduced due to lack of funds to be able to feed them. Sad, but most loving owners send goats to the auction hoping they get good homes instead of a "final" home.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Why not send the papers along with them though? IF they are registered.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

True, thankfully I've not had to go that route and hope I won't ever need to.


NevadaJoe will find the answer once he is able to trace the tattoo's.


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

They may or may not be registered. I tattoo all my wethers even though they aren't registered. 

But why sell them if they have a disease and can be linked back to your farm via tattoos? :shrug:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Why not send the papers along with them though? IF they are registered.


 One reason is ... a person is selling that goat ...cheap and doesn't feel ...that the papers should go with that goat.....in which ....is logical... because ....it may kill the market, if alot of people let the papers go....because of hardship or at ... very cheap prices....hope this makes sense.... :wink:


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Good points! Sorry, NevadaJoe...for taking your thread off topic!  :wink:


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Good points!


 :wink: :thumbup:


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

Hi there :wave: I don't think that I have introduced myself to you yet (sorry!)  

The tattoos may very well lead you back to the original owner. I know that there are times when I sell my registered stock as unregistered with option to purchase papers at a later date ...... so it definately would not hurt to track the original breeder and find out the history on them - just for your own knowledge.

Are these does, wethers, or bucks? Ohhhh, and we LOVE pictures!!! hehehe


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## Sweet Gum Minis (Oct 6, 2007)

I have sold without papers before because of an animals udder or small stature. I sell them as pets. If a doe freshens or has a horrible udder, I don't issue papers because she's not adding traits to the gene pool that are desireable. 

That being said, I generally send papers reguardless. There've only been a couple I didn't sell with papers and it was due to the buyer preferring a lesser fee instead of paying full price to get registration too. I don't offer that option anymore on does. Does are worth a set price, papers or not to me. I don't sell unregistered bucks anymore either.


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

They may or may not be registered. I tattoo all of my kids for my records. Even if they dont get registered. 
AS far as sending animals to auctions without papers i have done it every animal i have sent to the auction. (all bucks in my case) I usually have spent a good deal f money on that particular animal and they are worth it. Buster for example, i paid over $700 for, he turned up positive for CAE as a two year old. Most likely from a show or my neighbors goats she he bred. I sent him the the auction and got $60 for him. In my opinion its unfair to me to send a papered animal to the sale barn when i have put so much into him, just for someone else to go and get him for basically nothing, papers and all. 
beth


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## NevadaJoe (Apr 27, 2009)

KW Farms said:


> Good points! Sorry, NevadaJoe...for taking your thread off topic!


That's alright! I like reading all of this, it's great info for me!



kelebek said:


> The tattoos may very well lead you back to the original owner. I know that there are times when I sell my registered stock as unregistered with option to purchase papers at a later date ...... so it definately would not hurt to track the original breeder and find out the history on them - just for your own knowledge.
> 
> Are these does, wethers, or bucks? Ohhhh, and we LOVE pictures!!! hehehe


Two are wethers that we bought as bucks, and one is a doe. Is there any place to look up the tattoo numbers? Because when we bought our two boys they had papers tied around their necks that listed their tattoo info and their date of births. I'm not sure I'd be able to get a clear reading from my doe though, and she's the one I want to find out the most on, because she got Grand Champion and Reserve Grand at our local fair this year, with state fair coming up. I've always toyed with the idea of breeding her if she was registered (and of course clear of all those diseases) but I don't want to breed her if she's not registered. Plus I just like the idea of knowing a bit more about them, such as my does date of birth.


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

On the right ear can you make out any of the letters at all?


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## mmhbs (Sep 8, 2009)

Hope you told auction house the animal has CAE.Bought my starter goats that way who then turned up symptomatic.Real low class to dump a CAE positive animal on unsuspecting bidders!!


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

mmhbs -- auction houses animals mostly go for slaughter -- thats why I never suggest you get an animal from an auction house. Always go to a breeder and ask questions. A lot of auction animals are positive for diseases.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

mmhbs said:


> Hope you told auction house the animal has CAE.Bought my starter goats that way who then turned up symptomatic.Real low class to dump a CAE positive animal on unsuspecting bidders!!


I don't think they do have CAE??? I also agree with Stacey.

A good way to check tattoos is wait til it's dark out...take a small flashlight and shine it behind the ear and it will be easier to read it then to look at it in the light. :thumb:


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## Nupine (Nov 13, 2007)

OMG! That is exactly what happened to me. I went to the sale barn and in a holding pen I saw the most gorgeous Nubian doe. After talking to some people I was able to buy her for $100. When I got her out of the pen, where she was squished with a bunch of funny looking sheep, I checked her ears and she had tattoos, I soon called the ADGA, and they gave me some problems, but soon gave me the breeder's contact info, and with a couple of weeks I had her papers and she was in my name. I soon found out she had a lot of Hoanbu bloodlines and her granddam was Grand Champion Doe at the Indiana State Fair. I would call the ADGA. They may not be registered as many breeders, including myself, tattoo every animal born on the farm. Good luck!


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## NevadaJoe (Apr 27, 2009)

StaceyRoop said:


> mmhbs -- auction houses animals mostly go for slaughter -- thats why I never suggest you get an animal from an auction house. Always go to a breeder and ask questions. A lot of auction animals are positive for diseases.


I know an auction is not the best place to purchase an animal, but that is actually my perfered place to go. My first horse was an auction rescue. We were told she was 20, vet said closer to 35. She was skinny, sick, and a little ugly. But within a short time she turned around, and ended up being the best first horse I could have ever asked for. She lived to be 42, and because of her, I like to get my animals from the auction, so I know that I'm saving a life. I don't ever plan to breed my animals, except maybe for my Alpine doe, and only if she is registered, and disease free. If I do plan to breed (say a horse, a goat, a cow, etc), I will go to a breeder most def! That's what I did recently when I decided to breed Holland Lop bunnies. I did a lot of looking, then found a nice one locally, registered, etc. I have several auction rescue bunnies as well, but they will simply be pets! I do understand why a lot of people keep away from auctions though. No history, and not knowing exactly what your getting can be hard, and sometimes turn out bad.



Nupine said:


> OMG! That is exactly what happened to me. I went to the sale barn and in a holding pen I saw the most gorgeous Nubian doe. After talking to some people I was able to buy her for $100. When I got her out of the pen, where she was squished with a bunch of funny looking sheep, I checked her ears and she had tattoos, I soon called the ADGA, and they gave me some problems, but soon gave me the breeder's contact info, and with a couple of weeks I had her papers and she was in my name. I soon found out she had a lot of Hoanbu bloodlines and her granddam was Grand Champion Doe at the Indiana State Fair. I would call the ADGA. They may not be registered as many breeders, including myself, tattoo every animal born on the farm. Good luck!


I'll have to use the flashlight trick that someone else mentioned! Then I will try giving the ADGA a call. I love how there are good endings for some auction animals!

I actually found out this last week while I was at fair with my goats that my little Pygmy doe is registered! The people behind us came up and started talking to me, then said they ran her scrapie tag and that she used to be one of theirs (they raise and show pygmys and I think herefords)! I am so excited! If I can find someone to read her chip, he said he can find out which one she is and send me her papers! Plus, she beat out the other pygmys at the fair and got Grand Champion in both her classes! Not bad for a little $65 rescue goat. =D


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

It's wonderful that you are willing to give these animals forever homes and even better that you found the breeder of your pygmy doe....it's likely that she was sold from their farm and the buyer was the one to place her at the auction. Though, I do caution you when bringing new animals from disease free herds in, you will likely be better to house them separate to be sure they stay healthy.

I hope you can get a tattoo from the goat, I have dark eared goats and their tats need to be lighted to see them. AGS is another registry you can try as far as herd ID.


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