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Z tag review

G

George

Well-known member
Joined
May 29, 2005
Messages
2,344
Location
Indiana
I have used the tags I recieved - - -now for what I think

pros


1) easy to use - - - no button to lose and tagger seems to work well

2) appear they will stay in ( time will tell )

3) got the order right, letter and number on the front - - - name addressa nd phone # on back

cons

1) slightly smaller than the Temple tags I have been using - - -no big deal

2) black ink is slightly duller - - - If it stays I will have no problem with this as the Temple tags are almost impossible to read after about 5 or 6 years

3) cannot be re used - - - -I move the hiefer tags on the ones I keep back to the right ear when they get their own cow tag in their left ear - - - - giving me a quick history of what cow they came from. Not really a big deal just one of my quirks.


All in all if they do not fade and stay in I feel they are a great product - - - -time will tell - - - - I have cows with Temple tags over 15 years old and about every 3 years I re ink them while they are in the chute- - - -The back of the tag with the name address and phone # never fades so I guess it is sunlight and not rubbing causing the fading. You can still feel the imprinting so if you can get it in your had it is easy to re ink.
 
We have not used Temple tags, but we have used just about everything else. We now use Z tags only for calves and cows we retag. They stay in. I think in the 4 years we have been using them I have maybe lost 1 tag on several hundred head. This includes strings on bales, bush pasture, chute and headgate use, etc.
The only tag I have found that stays in as good as the Z tag is the steel bangs type tag I put in when I AI a cow for the first time.
 
Opinions wanted...what is the best tag for retention?

I've been using Allflex with fairly good results 'til last year, but RSL may have given me the reason for so many lost tags this winter...plastic bale twine...new hay supplier.
 
We've tried about every tag going; hate button type tags (too many ripped ears) ; I also don't miss grinding numbers into Ritchie's! Have used Z tags for years now & have put in several thousand.......still lose the odd one ;most break off in the tag neck; some just wear a hole in the ear until the tag pulls out.
That being said I still prefer the Z tag; good pens & ink for making tags; ink lasts decent and the tags are easy & fast to put in.
 
We put z-tags in everything now. I use the feedlot tags in the calves as we can buy them for $25 a hundred. We upgrade them in the replacements but also freeze brand the cows so most likely they'll never need another tag.
 
For our permanent cow identification, we install the Ritchey tags which come engraved with large numbers from the factory. In the other ear, we put in a Y-Tex button tag of corresponding color and number. Even if the big tag falls out, the small button tag is usually there. When the cows are run down the chute in the fall and again at Scourgard time just before calving, it is easy to grind a new tag with the right color and number for anything that has lost their tag since we last worked them. We also have their bangs tags recorded, and all of our cows are age branded on the shoulder, which is greatly helpful.

Our baby calves get the Z-tags with long necks, for easy readability. The replacement heifers get to keep their Z-tag calf tag all their life, along with their Ritchey "permanent" number and the Y-Tex button tag. Having the calf tag still along for the ride gives an instant history of the heifer at a glance.
 
i like using Z tags because of how fast and easy they are to put in. as far as retention......i don't know if there are a whole lot better than the other alternatives. if a tag gets caught on the fence, bale string or whatever, it's probably coming out. i have lost my share of Z tags, but have of the other brands aswell.
 
Probably tried them all since the late 60's-- and like the Z tags the best... Retention- everything...

We had a couple of bags left before we got the courtesy ones offered on here by Z Tags- and are now using them-- and love the feature of having the ranch name engraved on the bottom....Saves me writing on the brand on the top- and just looks classy with another form of ID :wink:

I need to dig out the bill of lading that came with them (which I saved for that purpose) and order some more......
 
Oldtimer said:
Probably tried them all since the late 60's-- and like the Z tags the best... Retention- everything...

We had a couple of bags left before we got the courtesy ones offered on here by Z Tags- and are now using them-- and love the feature of having the ranch name engraved on the bottom....Saves me writing on the brand on the top- and just looks classy with another form of ID :wink:

I need to dig out the bill of lading that came with them (which I saved for that purpose) and order some more......
Click to expand...

what does it cost to have the ranch name engraved?
 
Justin said:
Oldtimer said:
Probably tried them all since the late 60's-- and like the Z tags the best... Retention- everything...

We had a couple of bags left before we got the courtesy ones offered on here by Z Tags- and are now using them-- and love the feature of having the ranch name engraved on the bottom....Saves me writing on the brand on the top- and just looks classy with another form of ID :wink:

I need to dig out the bill of lading that came with them (which I saved for that purpose) and order some more......
Click to expand...

what does it cost to have the ranch name engraved?
Click to expand...

Justin- I never asked-- but he said we could have it with those promotional tags- so I asked for it.....Really looks neat.. I'm sure its based on the number ordered- but it sounded like once they got the template/form made- no real big deal.....
My neighbors have been doing it in thousands of their yearlings and cows for years- so can't be too pricey....
 
Oldtimer said:
Justin said:
Oldtimer said:
Probably tried them all since the late 60's-- and like the Z tags the best... Retention- everything...

We had a couple of bags left before we got the courtesy ones offered on here by Z Tags- and are now using them-- and love the feature of having the ranch name engraved on the bottom....Saves me writing on the brand on the top- and just looks classy with another form of ID :wink:

I need to dig out the bill of lading that came with them (which I saved for that purpose) and order some more......
Click to expand...

what does it cost to have the ranch name engraved?
Click to expand...

Justin- I never asked-- but he said we could have it with those promotional tags- so I asked for it.....Really looks neat.. I'm sure its based on the number ordered- but it sounded like once they got the template/form made- no real big deal.....
My neighbors have been doing it in thousands of their yearlings and cows for years- so can't be too pricey....
Click to expand...

i like the idea. i missed the train with those promotional tags. might have to check into it.
 
Z tags have the best retention and are the easiest to put in but we have problems with the numbers fading to where they aren't readable in as little as 2 years. I've started using Ritchey tags since they stay readable but the retention isn't quite as good.
 
Quick question; What's the going price for blank cow size Z tags in your area? My brother picked some up in Great Falls a lot cheaper than what dealers charge here. Currently run well over $30.00 a pack here.
 
cowsense said:
Quick question; What's the going price for blank cow size Z tags in your area? My brother picked some up in Great Falls a lot cheaper than what dealers charge here. Currently run well over $30.00 a pack here.
Click to expand...

$.99 each
 
Cedarcreek said:
Z tags have the best retention and are the easiest to put in but we have problems with the numbers fading to where they aren't readable in as little as 2 years. I've started using Ritchey tags since they stay readable but the retention isn't quite as good.
Click to expand...

Cedarcreek-- I was told (and it may have been on this site)- by someone that I know that has done it for awhile- that if you use the Z Tag marker pen- and after making up the tag, stick it in the microwave for 25-30 seconds (no more)- that the ink sets in and stays readable thru the life of the cow.....

Ask me again in 2-5-10 years as we tried it this year on some heifers we bought with the new tags.... :wink:
 
cowsense said:
Quick question; What's the going price for blank cow size Z tags in your area? My brother picked some up in Great Falls a lot cheaper than what dealers charge here. Currently run well over $30.00 a pack here.
Click to expand...

http://www.stockyardsupply.com/index.htm

If you call during January and request the Stockshow Special, they'll knock 10% off of your total order. Makes the tags about .85/each.
 
That microwave idea might just be the trick I've been looking for - - - I will try it with both the temple and Z tags as fading is my problem - - - retention seems good on the temple and I will have to find out on the Z tags but looks like it should be fine
 

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