# Confused about ADGA tattoos



## Swayze Homestead (Oct 21, 2019)

Good afternoon everyone,

I am having a _heck_ of a time understanding the ADGA guide on tattooing my goats. I was assigned my tattoo GB57, which is all well and good, but then the guide talks about assigning tattoos based on year and birth order. I believe their example was M for 2020 and 1,2,3 for order of birth. M1, M2, M3, etc.

My question is, do I add M1 in addition to GB57, to make GB57M1? Or are they separated by each ear? GB57 in one, M1 in the other? They do not make it easy to understand.

Any help is appreciated, thank you!!!


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## bisonviewfarm (Apr 2, 2015)

They go in separate ears the GB57 goes in the right the year & birth order goes in the left


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## Swayze Homestead (Oct 21, 2019)

bisonviewfarm said:


> They go in separate ears the GB57 goes in the right the year & birth order goes in the left


Thank you! I find it hard to believe it's _that_ easy and it's not made clear in the guide.


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## bisonviewfarm (Apr 2, 2015)

They can't make anything simple lol they do explain it on the website. http://adga.org/adga-tattoo-policy-how-to-tattoo-a-dairy-goat/


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

Also note when they say left and right. It’s the goat’s left and right. I’ve seen ppl make that mistake before.


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

When you tattoo, it helps to clip the hair out of the ear, wipe it well with an alcohol wipe to get any grease or dirt off. I like to apply the tattoo, then rub the green ink in with a soft toothbrush and then my gloved finger. Adding baking soda helps to "set" the tattoo ink in the little holes.

When you do that initial clamp with the tattoo pliers, squeeze as hard as you can- one time. If it bleeds, wipe the blood away with alcohol wipe before you apply the ink. It gets easier with practice- but it's still messy! The green ink will wash off with baby wipes, but don't touch the ears, they need to heal. Your baby will get ink everywhere! :nod:


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

also - each year is a different tattoo letter (not your herd lD)- so the tattoo letter in the left ear for 2021 is N and then the number for your birth order.


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## Swayze Homestead (Oct 21, 2019)

Does ADGA choose the year designation? Does 2020 HAVE to be M, 2021 N, etc?
Or can I create my own?


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## CaramelKittey (Oct 31, 2019)

The ADGA assigns a letter each year. You can find it by scrolling down a bit on the home page for the ADGA.  This year's letter is N. 
American Dairy Goat Association - ADGA


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## AlabamaGirl (Jun 18, 2020)

Aren't tattoos hard to see, especially on darker skinned stock? Can I use ear tags instead?


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## Ashlynn (Oct 1, 2017)

AlabamaGirl said:


> Aren't tattoos hard to see, especially on darker skinned stock? Can I use ear tags instead?


Use green ink. It's much easier to read. You can't use ear tags for ADGA goats, they have to have tattoos on either the ears or tail. Other goats not registered with a dairy registry like the ADGA can have ear tags if you prefer. Remember though, ear tags can come/rip out. Tattoos stay on them and if they fade to be unreadable (doesn't always happen) you can do it again and it lasts a long time. If a tattoo is hard to read clean it with baby wipes and shine a flashlight on the ear. They do this to check tattoos at shows.


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## AlabamaGirl (Jun 18, 2020)

Ashlynn said:


> Use green ink. It's much easier to read. You can't use ear tags for ADGA goats, they have to have tattoos on either the ears or tail. Other goats not registered with a dairy registry like the ADGA can have ear tags if you prefer. Remember though, ear tags can come/rip out. Tattoos stay on them and if they fade to be unreadable (doesn't always happen) you can do it again and it lasts a long time. If a tattoo is hard to read clean it with baby wipes and shine a flashlight on the ear. They do this to check tattoos at shows.


Thanks!


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Follow instructions above - tattoos will set better. Green paste ink is preferable. When you register you kids, the tattoos in each ear will match your paperwork. if you have a mature goat with a tattoo that cannot be read, you can re- tattoo, but you need to submit the paperwork to the ADGA stating the goat was tattooed again.


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## Michaela Van Mecl (Sep 3, 2018)

Perhaps a silly question but you can do the whole tattoo (herd name then birth info) together in one ear, correct?


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## Calistar (Jan 16, 2017)

Herd tattoo goes in the right ear, birth info goes in the left ear. You don't want it all in the same ear (and for little Nigerians, it probably wouldn't fit anyway!)


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## Michaela Van Mecl (Sep 3, 2018)

Calistar said:


> Herd tattoo goes in the right ear, birth info goes in the left ear. You don't want it all in the same ear (and for little Nigerians, it probably wouldn't fit anyway!)


Thanks so much


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