Printed ear tags

[LCP]

I just ordered some Allflex A-tags with laser printing. Seems they have a promotion where they'll put your ranch name and a number on it for $1.05 each (cow tags). So I got enough to do our replacement heifers for two years. We'll see how it turns out. I'll still have to make some by hand, so I'll try the microwave trick and see which lasts longer. The A-tags look like they are a knock off of the Z tag design.

[Soapweed]

This is the system we have used for many years.


Right ear has an engraved jumbo Ritchey tag.


Left ear has a corresponding color and number, using a Y-Tex button tag. Usually, even if the big tag gets lost, the button tag stays in. If the big tag is lost, we use a Dremel tool to engrave a new tag with another correctly colored Ritchey tag. This is done at preg checking time each fall. If both tags happen to get lost, we still have a year brand to know how old the cow is, and can at least give her an appropriate tag so we know her status. We leave the original calf tag in the left ear also, so that a bit more of the cow's history is evident.