Ear tags are used by the livestock producer to keep production records of bloodlines, birth dates, vaccinations and other key criteria necessary for raising animals as a Numbering System. A couple more things to pay attention too are: other methods of identification, factors to consider, it’s not only cattle, or each producer uses his own numbering system.
You might be thinking “Why do cattle have ear tags?”
On a larger scale, ear tags have been federally mandated on all cattle to be sold for profit or moved across state lines. They are also used by the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) and the USDA’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) to track (and help prevent) the spread of disease, like mad cow or scrapie.
Why do cows have bells round their necks?
Cows wear a bell for a variety of reasons but mainly the livestock keepers put a bell around their neck to keep track when the animal is grazing in dangerous hilly landscapes or vast plains. Other than the said reason, the livestock keepers can also wrap a bell around to differentiate the cow from another identical fellow animal.
In addition to pleasant tones, bells on grazing animals have practical purposes:
To facilitate locating the herd or flock. To provide assurance that they are still where they should be. To give warning of charging rams/bucks. To alert you if the herd or flock is startled because the sound is, obviously, different. A few additional things to look into are do we only rely on bells to deter predators? How do they do this? And users report that bells deter predators.
Why do they put bells on cows?
Cow bells are celebratory! Bring cowbells for sporting events to stampede the competition ! Bells are a great addition to weddings, bringing good fortune to couples. Ring in the new year with a cowbell! Show patriotism on the 4th of July with a cowbell made in the USA. Get people “mooving” and grooving with a cowbell as a musical bell., and more items.
You could be wondering “Why did/do farmers put bells on cows?”
Not all cows sport collars, but many do and there a few different reasons for it: The collar might hold an identification tag with a number or name for each cow. The collar may hold a bell to identify bulls or aggressive cows. The bell helps relay the message, “Hey! Many smaller farms milk their cows in a tie stall barn and use collars to tie the cows up during milking time . More items.
How do you tag a cow?
Today’s market also offers electronic identification systems known as EIDs yet they are more expensive. The cow should go into a chute when being tagged. Make sure the animal is relaxed and even stroke its ears to help the cow get used to having the ears handled.
Why do we need ear tags?
Ear tags are needed for animal identification. They make it possible for us to identify and keep accurate records about each calf, heifer, steer, cow and bull. When you stop and think about it, animal identification has been around for a really long time.
What does the color of a cattle tag mean?
The color of the tag holds specific information as well. Use certain colors as a code for a feature you are interested in. Plus, some farmers divide the cattle by the ear that is being tagged. For example, you could tag the calf’s right ear if it’s a heifer and the left ear if it’s a steer. When and how to tag your cattle.