IDing animals humanely

[crazeeyamy]

I want to have a large number of goats, and I want to be able to identify them. I don't want to tag or brand my animals (or however people usually ID them) I want to do it in a non invasive way. Any suggestions?

 

[res]

You might want to check with your state laws... (or it might even be a federal law???)

In some states, it is required that a goat have a "premise ID" or scrapies ear tag before it can be bought - sold - shown - transported - processed, etc.

Ear tags are a lot like human earrings, they hurt for a moment, but heal quickly. Premise ID tags can also be pretty darn small, they don't have to be the big dangly ear tags often worn by cattle...

 

[subhanalah]

What about tattooing the ear?

 

[cassie]

You might want to check with your state laws... (or it might even be a federal law???)

In some states, it is required that a goat have a "premise ID" or scrapies ear tag before it can be bought - sold - shown - transported - processed, etc.

Ear tags are a lot like human earrings, they hurt for a moment, but heal quickly. Premise ID tags can also be pretty darn small, they don't have to be the big dangly ear tags often worn by cattle...

If your goats are registered, or registerable dairy goats they do NOT need eartags in spite of what anyone tells you. They do need a permanent ID, however. You just get a permanent tattoo assigned to you from ADGA. The herd tattoo goes in the right ear (or right tail web) and the individual tattoo goes in the left ear (or left tail web). This satisfies the scrapie requirement. Dairy goats must be tattooed in order to be registered or recorded anyway. I can't think of anyone who wants those unsightly metal tags in the ears of their beautiful show animals.

 

[cassie]

You tattoo them in the ears, or in the case of LaManchas that have no ears, in the tail web. In my case CAH used to go in the right ear of all my goats (or right tail web in the case of LaManchas). That was my individual and unique herd tattoo. In the left ear (or tail web)goes the letter that designates the year and a number designating the individual. For instance, one goat may be tattooed CAH in the right ear. That meant the animals was born in my herd. The left ear might say D5. That would mean that goat was born in 2013 and it was the fifth kid tattooed that year. Now with the scrapie requirements herd tattoos may be more than three digits. You can get a herd ID through the herd registry. In the case of dairy goats that would be adga.org. If your goats are not registered, adga can probably tell you where to go to get a scrapie premises tattoo ID.