Tags

[lightninboy]

Thanks for the advice. I will try holding the calf's ear tight with one hand.

 

[CattleArmy]

We had a neighbor who lost his life putting in brisket tags. He was using the broadhead arrow applicator and it didn't go completely through with the first thrust. He got on the other side of the heifer, pulled hard, it came through fast and poked into his leg. It hit the main artery, and even with other people there trying to apply direct pressure, he bled to death.

Half of the safety of the brisket tagging system you are referring to I believe is in following the instructions to the tee. Their heads need to be tied up and tight to avoid such accidents. We used the same broadhead arrow system several years with the cow head tied up. The tags stay in a long time. However, after hearing that story when it happened it even made us a little leary of the applicator.

 

[CattleArmy]

We use Z tags at calving and we retain to the end and we may lose 1 or 2 tags a year on those calves. Used to use them on the cows but they fade after 4 or 5 years so now we are using the Ritchie and the dremel tool plus a freeze brand on the replacements. This cow herd had brisket tags when we came here, spent way to much time standing on my head trying to read the tag with the cow blowing snot over her baby in a blizzard. Hate those things. The worst ones are the Life of Cow tag, guaranteed for the life of the cow, if you don't kill her putting them in, you use a broadhead arrow point with a funnel shaped thing that holds the tag. You look like you work for Tyson after putting a few of those in, and by the way, they only last a couple of years but I did not want them replaced

We use Ritchie tags now and like them the engraved number seems to last much longer.

As far as having trouble reading brisket tags it perplexes me that you found them that much harder then a ear tag. Ever had a mother cow that runs circles around you and you can never get a good look at her number when it's in the ear. Or her head is down in the group? I was around brisket tags several years and the original cow herd still has them in and haven't had near the grief you seem to have encountered. To say the only last a couple years I think is a in your instance case the guy that got them started in our cows had used them for years and some of our cows have had them over 9 years.

Once again I think the important thing when working with the above mentioned tool is to keep the head restrained. I've seen it used several times and didn't see all the blood you speak of. I'm not saying there isn't blood but I wouldn't compare it to butchering.