# Tattoo Questions



## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

OK. So last year I only had to tattoo one goat - my first ever LaMancha- and she turned out fine (except that the breeder gave me the wrong birth number and I had to alter it after the fact; but that's another story!)

This year we needed to tattoo 2 Nigerians and a LaMancha. My girls pitched in together and bought a tattoo kit. We tattooed the goats and made a royal mess of it. The dye I had used before was a roll on, but this kit came with a green paste. It was SO messy!! We applied the dye, tattooed, then rubbed more dye over the imprint as per the instructions.

First question: When do you wash off the excess dye? I was afraid to do it right away because I wanted the tattoo to set. So here we are 3 days out from our first fair and my daughters are scrubbing goat ears and tail like crazy!

Another problem arose when we realized that my eldest daughter's tattoo requires repeat letters GRGR. We only had one of each, so.... We tried to carefully place a second GR after the first, but it's rather catywampus. You CAN make it out, if you try real hard, but it's a little on the iffy side.

Second question: If the judges can't adequately read a tattoo, how in the world do you fix it?

Man, will this learning curve ever end?:crazy:


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

How long ago did you tattoo? I would wait until the fair to be trying to take the ink off. If the judge wants the ink off, you can use baby wipes, baby oil and a rag, a soapy rag, etc. But messing with a fresh tattoo that hasn't had the chance to heal over yet is just asking for a messed up tattoo. 
I personally never take the ink off. The natural oils from the goats skin will wear it off on it's own. 

If the judges can't read the tattoo, you will have to redo it. If it has faded to the point where you can't even find it, you can just tattoo back over it. 
I have never had to redo a tattoo though, mine have never faded/messed one up, so I think I'm just lucky


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## PippasCubby (May 13, 2015)

I just let the dye wear off too. As you get a little better at tattooing, your messiness should go down!

For future reference, you should be able to order extra letters or numbers for your tattoo kit. Then you won't have to try to double tag!

Good luck at the fair!


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

We tattooed about a month ago. I am going to order the extra letters we need. I used roll on ink last time and it didn't seem nearly as icky as this paste. I may order some of that next year. If we have to redo anyone this year I think I'll do it in black instead of green. I'll also tattoo a LOT earlier next time!


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

When you send in your registration papers, just mark on them "re-tattooed", then, at a later date, you 
can redo them without any problem! The green paste actually lasts longer than the roll on, but the main thing
is to make sure the ink gets into the little dots. If you need to re-tattoo and the goat is already registered, call ADGA (or whomever) and tell them, they will issue new papers with "re-tattooed" on them. (It is a hassle, sometimes).

How I tattoo: I shave the ears with a close clipper blade, then use rubbing alcohol to get all the oil and dirt off. Then I put green paste on the ear, tattoo it, rub paste in with a tooth brush and the tats seem to last and be readable. Meanwhile, me, the goat and anyone in the vicinity is green. We make a royal mess. Baby wipes take it off stuff and people. Goats, I just leave alone. It wears off.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

All great advice.


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## Little-Bits-N-Pieces (Apr 7, 2013)

I tattoo a little differently. I don't even bother shaving the ear or cleaning it with anything. I just wipe the ear off with my fingers if I need to. I sit on my porch steps and put the kid in a head a head lock, with it's head facing me. I rub a glob of tattoo ink on the ear in a neat little rectangle. I take the excess on my finger and dab it onto the the needles. Line up the letters with the ink on the ear, and clamp the tattoo pliers down as hard as I can for about 30 seconds, then I peel the ear out of the needles, and smear the ink back over the holes and press the ink into the holes with my thumb, like pinching the ear to press as much ink as you can into the hole. Then I smear the ink on the back of the ear as well, and I'm done. I don't use toothbrushes, baking soda, corn starch or anything.
But then to get the ink off me, dawn dish soap and a toothbrush.


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

Little-Bits-N-Pieces said:


> I tattoo a little differently. I don't even bother shaving the ear or cleaning it with anything. I just wipe the ear off with my fingers if I need to. I sit on my porch steps and put the kid in a head a head lock, with it's head facing me. I rub a glob of tattoo ink on the ear in a neat little rectangle. I take the excess on my finger and dab it onto the the needles. Line up the letters with the ink on the ear, and clamp the tattoo pliers down as hard as I can for about 30 seconds, then I peel the ear out of the needles, and smear the ink back over the holes and press the ink into the holes with my thumb, like pinching the ear to press as much ink as you can into the hole. Then I smear the ink on the back of the ear as well, and I'm done. I don't use toothbrushes, baking soda, corn starch or anything.
> But then to get the ink off me, dawn dish soap and a toothbrush.


My favorite part of this whole description is "neat little rectangle". :laugh:


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

groovyoldlady said:


> My favorite part of this whole description is "neat little rectangle". :laugh:


I actually do mine the same way as Little-bits except I do use alcohol wipe to clean the ears before and surprisingly it does make a neat little rectangle. I use one hand to smear the ink on the ear and pliers and my husband does the actually tattooing. It also helps that we have two different pliers. One for the herd id and the other for the herd number. It makes it much easier and not as messy. To clean up baby wipes work really well but we don't touch the ears after they are tattooed


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## loggyacreslivestock (Mar 5, 2013)

Good advice given. The paste definitely stays better. I have used both and won't go back to roll on. Just use rubbing alcohol on your hands and equipment afterwards and all the green/ black ink is gone. Hand sanitizer works great too!

I don't hold the tattooer in their ears that long though. Just push as hard as I can, and release. Usually I get a little blood...wipe it off and smear in ink fairly firmly till it fills in little holes. In my experience, the judges don't mind the ink as long as they can read the tattoo and they aren't getting ink on themselves. I have even seen people tattoo live at the show right before going in the ring!


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I would just tattoo them as soon as you can so you don't have to worry about the ink. I agree that I doubt the judges would care but if your like me you still wouldn't want the ink on them lol just take a number of letter out at maybe a month old and see if it will fit between the veins if so go for it. If not wait a few weeks. I don't show so I just do it at the time of selling or weaning.
I use the roll on ink, so far so good on it lasting (3 years so far) I just roll some on, tattoo them, roll more on and rub with my finger a little.....with gloves on wearing my 'tattoo' pants because no matter how much you try it's gonna get on you lol


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## groovyoldlady (Jul 21, 2011)

Wow...I've never seen a goat with tattoo ink all over their ears or butt in the ring. I don't know how the judge could even see the marks until they've had time to heal up! Not to mention that 2 of the does we tattooed are being used for 4-H fitting and showmanship - so they can't be messy! And then there's the fact that you wear whites when showing dairy goats. I foresee an ink+whites=disaster formula there!!! :faint:

It is good to hear what everyone has said about the paste. I will keep it and just try to be way more "controlled" in where it gets applied.

Thanks to all of you!


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

Actually now that I think about it I don't rub it on with my fingers I use a tongue depressor. I just put a little paste on the end of one, rub it on the ear in a little rectangle between the veins, rub some on the tattoo letters, and then my husband tattooes them. Then I rub the baking soda on with a toothbrush. I never touch the paste which is how I manage to not get it all over until I have to clean everything off when I'm done


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