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mn

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Quick question. We put news ritchey tags in some heifers and cows last spring bfore calving. Now i would say 1/2 of them have fell out. Were going to retag them with the tags that fell out, just wondering if there is a better back that would work on them.
 
mn said:
Quick question. We put news ritchey tags in some heifers and cows last spring bfore calving. Now i would say 1/2 of them have fell out. Were going to retag them with the tags that fell out, just wondering if there is a better back that would work on them.
Click to expand...

Everybody here uses Zee Tags. :wink: :D :D
 
mn said:
Quick question. We put news ritchey tags in some heifers and cows last spring bfore calving. Now i would say 1/2 of them have fell out. Were going to retag them with the tags that fell out, just wondering if there is a better back that would work on them.
Click to expand...

mn,

The Ritchey family are wonderful people. Their customer service, in my experience, is second to none.

I would encourage you to contact them, and tell them your problem Not only would I bet they make it right, I bet they have a solution for you too. The Ritcheys have continually told me that if a customer has a problem with their product they want to know about it, not only to resolve the problem, but to improve upon their product.

When calling ask for Grant. Their phone number is 1-800-EAR-TAGS. Their website is http://www.ritcheytags.com .

Good luck!

Cheers---

TTB :wink:
 
We have had trouble with some batches of black Y-Tex buttons when using Ritchie universal tags. I am guessing it is the buttons that are breaking, causing the tag to fall off.
 
I thought it was just mine this year lost about a third of them, not lucky enough to find my old tags either. My buttons are also the black ones, I was wondering about that as I have some green ones in the cows as well and they are staying good (knock on wood)
 
I've tried about all the different tags, y-tex, all flex, z tag, brisket tags
but still like the grindable richie tags best. The other tags the #s seem
to fade till they were not readable. Been using the black y-tex buttons.
but loose quite a few. If I find a tag, the button was broke. Last year
I used a few of the regular y-tex buttons and don't seem to lose near
as many of them.
 
I'm having the same trouble with the black buttons. Drives me crazy to have to replace so many tags every year.
 
Big Swede said:
I'm having the same trouble with the black buttons. Drives me crazy to have to replace so many tags every year.
Click to expand...

Any of the colored Y-Tex buttons seem to hold up better than the black ones. The colored ones are just less brittle and breakable.
 
Big Swede said:
I'm having the same trouble with the black buttons. Drives me crazy to have to replace so many tags every year.
Click to expand...

Toss out the black buttons and use Allflex buttons. Some may still fall out, but they will be few and far between. Zee Tags are great for retention, but as some people around here have learned with them, tag retention means nothing if the number fades completely. Granted that is on 10+ year old cows.
 
Y-Tex uses black studs for all of their insecticide eartags. I have noticed that the compositions of the ID tags have changed a few years ago. Along with that, Y-tex also puts a date code on the top of the two piece right below the grommet. These tags break down after a few months of being lost on the ground. I can see the same compositions being used in the black studs beings that these are commonly used with insecticide eartags. Longevity is not needed for insecticide tags given that they are used up in a few months. What I cannot figure out as to why doesn't Ritchey make their own studs? How hard is it to make these? They tried that golf tee stud that was a failure, they tried a "T-lock" stud that didn't seem to hold up either. The problem was that it was made of hard plastic and has a weak spot where it sat on the applicator pin. The T lock could fold and pull though when the tag was caught on something. Ritchey needs to make their own studs and stop relying on other manufacturers. This is also one thing that discourages people from using Ritchey tags. The tags are more expensive then you have to buy studs on top of it. Ritchey has a very good idea with making engravable tags, they just need to make their own studs and include them with their tags.
 
We are putting z-tags in everything.I bought blank feedlot tags for the calves. Were freeze branding tommorrow not so much to worry about then. Y-Flex tags in the cows are curling up and I can't read the numbers on them just as well not tagged them at all.
 
We were using orange buttons on our ritchey tags. We put orange tags in and thought we would use the orange buttons to match. All that fell out were broken buttons, we found a majority of the tags that fell out. So im not sure that the colored ones are better than the black ones like some of you are saying.
 
Write anything you want on the tags....any color....but before you put'um on the cow....throw them in the microwave for about 30-35 seconds.

The ink, any ink, WILL LAST..... It cooks the color into the plastic.
 
jingo2 said:
Write anything you want on the tags....any color....but before you put'um on the cow....throw them in the microwave for about 30-35 seconds.

The ink, any ink, WILL LAST..... It cooks the color into the plastic.
Click to expand...

That won't melt the tag at all ?
 
hillsdown said:
jingo2 said:
Write anything you want on the tags....any color....but before you put'um on the cow....throw them in the microwave for about 30-35 seconds.

The ink, any ink, WILL LAST..... It cooks the color into the plastic.
Click to expand...

That won't melt the tag at all ?
Click to expand...


Nope...just don't go past about 30 seconds.

Try a tag as each one is made a bit diff. You may have to go 25 seconds or 35 seconds....but somewhere in that range.

For years we used all the brands of tags and ink...all faded.

Then someone told me about the 'nuke' option...works like a charm.

We usta use YTex, a diff color for each calf crop yr, ink'd , nuked'em and they lasted for years.
 
Thank you for the tip, I have a new heifer from this morning that I need to tag still. We use allflex and the ink usually wears off in about 4-5 years.

Wish I would have known that when we dairied.. :)
 
I started useing z tags in 1999 they are the best that I tried, I use the larges in baby calves 99% of the time their still in when they go to town from old age.
 
First try, microwaved a tag after marking it, about 25 seconds, the area around the ink was the warmest. Leave tags in a microwave too long and they will melt, even a blank (control) tag melted.
 
I put tags in the microwave separately 30 seconds each, they got a little warm but they did not melt anywhere. Each tag had been inked with the appropriate ID's.

I will let you know in 10 years if they fade ... :wink:
 
Don't ask how I found this. :shock: :roll: :shock:
http://www.eartagsdirect.com/accessories/ear-tag-earrings.html
 

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