# ear tags and tattoo ???



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I am trying to find out what would be a good age to tattoo and ear tag a kid. Mainly ear taging since I have to go out every morning with markers and mark the babys so I know who goes to who. So far I have only found one site that says that they do it at birth, which I would not do since they like to express their pain so well, and I dont deal with that well  

so about what age do you guys do it???


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

I do ours between 1-2 months old, but we also don't have enough goats to get them confused... well I don't... I told my husband to catch one buckling, he came back with a doeling from a different momma


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I ear tag them...at 2 to 3 days old....so... I do not mix anyone up.... I keep momma and babies penned up to bond for 3 days ... and they are already tagged before letting them out..weather permitting... 

I tattoo the kids at weaning age... the ones I am keeping and the ones that are going to be sold registered....or ... as they are going to their new homes....... :wink:


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

^^^so in my case I should ear tag them now  ...And I should prob put the tag up towards the head so there is room for the tattoo right? I just have a hard time with them sreaming their head off, any other animal half way takes things like a man


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I think they're going to throw a fit either way and it would be easier tagging while they're small and easier to control...and then it's done and there's no chance of a mix up. :shrug:


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

They are going to scream just as loud when they are older. LOL Goats are such babies. You might as well get it over with now.


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

> I just have a hard time with them sreaming their head off


I know what you mean, I tattoo all our goats, but I just cannot tag them. The sound of it gaaahhh. I hold them and make my husband do it. If someone around me would tag and tattoo I would definately pay them to come do it!


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

^^^^Ok so Im not alone. A friend of mine is like 'no big deal'. But Im going to be brave and do it!! (Ill wear ear plugs  )


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Wearing earplugs is good... :laugh: try not to tag really high on the ear...or to low...also try to miss the artery.... make sure.. you put the tag in the right way and not have the point on the inside of the ear....

What breed are you tagging? I know with my boers ...I put the tag in the left ear...


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

ok good to know about the point in the inside of ear.... They are boers too, whats the reason behind the left ear? I was planning on girls in right ear boys in left because I have 2 bags of tags 1-25, but might be re thinking that.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I have heard of Some breeders placing them.....the right ear for bucks and left for Does...

The reason why I do it this way is because on the ABGA registration it is year+number of goat (left ear) herd prefix on the (right ear)...... so... I figured the tag would go in the year + number side .... Just seems easier for me ..to remember it that way....

You can choose to do it whatever way you'd like .... Each breeder is different... :thumb:


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I'm sure glad I don't have to tag my goats...seems like a not so fun job.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

It isn't fun at all....the kids do scream..I feel bad but... I want to know who is who... :wink:


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## Maggie (Nov 5, 2010)

We do purebreds/percentages in the left ear, fullbloods in the right.


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## Steve (Mar 12, 2011)

I didnt see anyone list this but if you wait until they are older to tag they jerk around and it is possible to rip the ear,i did one this way last year and felt pretty bad about it.He was nearly 3 months old when i did it.

Im thinking about doing it at a week or so this time.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Actualy that is a very good point to bring up, espicaly for me. I have a box to hold kids, and a stand (its acualy for cows) so only hold like 7month+.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

I would tag and tattoo now. So much easier to handle and they will recover quickly. The tag and tattooer's also seem to go through the ear easier. When I had Boers, I would tag the kid and then tattoo so there was no chance of getting the tag through the tattoo. You also want the tag about 2-3 inches down from the top of the ear. From the bottom, you want it about halfway up at the least and right in the middle, in between the two veins that the tattoo will also go in between. I have heard if you put it too close to the bottom the bottom of the ear can die and fall off, not sure if that is true, but they also seem to tear the tag our easier if it is closer to the bottom. I usually hold the ear like I am tattooing so I can see the veins easily and can make sure it is in the middle.

Luckily I don't have to tag my goats anymore since I have dairy goats, although my vet is convinced they need a scrapie tag to go to shows, even though the state rules clearly say ANY USDA recognized permanent ID which includes tattoo's on a registered animal.


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## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Now in the Cashmere group, it is Girls are always RIGHT.

We do that so if there is a goat in a class full of does with a tag in the left, it is either a buck or a wether. Now that is if you don't do a oops. But that is really how they like it.

As for When? I do it about three months old.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

My goats are manly babys!!! They took it better then the cows do. I wish I would have read you post first ptgoats45
because I think in my case would have been better to do it now while they can still fit in the box. Maybe Ill give them a week then do the tattoos, they dont trust me one bit right now lol


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