Chapters 10.7

10.7 - Livestock Ear Tags: Critical Analysis

Vito Crichigno, University of Guelph, Canada

Suggested citation for this chapter.

Crichigno,V. (2022) Livestock Ear Tags: Critical Analysis, The Encyclopedia for Small Scale Farmers. Editor, M.N. Raizada, University of Guelph, Canada. http://www.farmpedia.org

Introduction

Animal disease outbreaks can cost a nation millions of dollars due to the resulting slaughters, negative effects on trade, and the cost of disease eradication (USDA NIFA, n.d.). Conflicts between farmers can also arise due to disputes over livestock ownership. Ear tags can help solve these problems for farmer in both developing nations and developed nations (QC Supply Staff, 2018).

Basic ear tags

Ear tags are small objects, plastic or metal, that can be attached to the ears of large livestock such as pigs, goats, sheep, and cattle (QC Supply Staff, 2018). The tags are large and can be seen from twenty-five feet away; they can tell a farmer everything they need to know about that livestock (Premier Supplies, 2016). For instance, the tags can indicate ownership to prevent conflicts. The tag can tell the owner if the animal is male or female. It can also tell the farmer the year of birth, sire (father), dam (mother) and other important information (Premier Supplies, 2016). The tag also allows the farmer to track the livestock's lineage to help the farmer to develop better breeding practices; the livestock’s identity can be associated with traits that can be selected (Premier Supplies, 2016). The tags can also benefit the livestock itself. For example, some tags are designed to keep pests away from the livestock. These are insecticide tags or fly tags, which keep pests like face flies and horn flies away (QC Supply Staff, 2018).

Electronic ear tags and innovations to track and reduce livestock disease

There has been an evolution in ear tag technology. The most significant benefit provided by newer ear tags is their ability to indicate which animals are sick (QC Supply Staff, 2018). For example, Africa has suffered massive outbreaks of disease directly affecting its livestock including anthrax (Lepheana et al., 2020). Anthrax is a disease that is caused by a bacteria called Bacillus anthracis. Its spores can survive in the environment for an extended period (Lepheana et al., 2020). It is particularly infectious to cattle and sheep; however, it can affect all warm-blooded animals. In the case of livestock diseases such as anthrax, electronic ear tags provide an excellent way of tracking livestock back to the source which may have caused the spread of disease. This technology uses radio frequency identification or RFID technology to track the livestock accurately (QC Supply Staff, 2018). In 2004, the United States did not mandate these ear tags, but they encouraged farmers to do so after anthrax and other diseases have spread. The tags were not mandated because of the cost of the electronic tags. It was seen that the electronic tags would put the small-scale farmers at a disadvantage. Since 2004, a database has existed that tracks all the electronically tagged animals (QC Supply Staff, 2018). This tracing is essential to track the movement of livestock and to locate where the disease started, to reduce its spread.

There have been further innovations and tests for these new ear tags to ensure public health, support animal production, and support trade (Mutua et al., 2017). For example, a test using ear tags along the Tanzania-Narok-Nairobi trade route was able to track cattle to the source of disease after the information was posted to the database (Mutua et al., 2017). This study was a livestock identification and traceability system. To conduct the study, they used animals randomly selected from the primary market with coded ear tags. After the data was collected and posted, the animals went to the slaughterhouses to determine if the tissues had high levels of disease toxin. If the levels were high, they used the traceability system to allow the animal or its meat product to be followed through the market and back to its origin. This innovation has only been implemented in isolated areas and is very uncoordinated thus far (Mutua et al., 2017). The study showed ear tags would allow them to find the farm where the disease came from. Because livestock usually move in herds, they would check the livestock for disease and symptoms. If they were infected, they would reduce the potential spread of the disease.

However, smallholder farmers may not have the equipment or training needed to successfully use electronic ear tags or radio tracking systems. Electronic tags are expensive (see below) and can put smallholder farmers at a disadvantage (QC Supply Staff, 2018). This extra cost is perhaps more worthwhile for commercial farmers.

Cost analysis

For a basic ear tag, ten thousand pieces can cost $0.20 to $0.40 USD (without shipping cost), for goats, sheep, and cattle. These ear tags can include different colours, numbers, letters, and even barcodes to help better identify the livestock. Another consideration would be the time, labour and machinery used in attaching the tags.

The cost for the electronic ear tags is substantially more than what it costs for standard ear tags. The purchase price for electronic ear tags that use radio frequency identification technology can cost from $0.30 to $1.80 USD for one thousand pieces depending on how many pieces, their quality, and information that the ear tag can show.

To attach the tag, a typical ear tag plier ranges from $2.50 USD to $12 USD for a better-quality ear tag plier.

The products and suppliers can be easily found on Alibaba.com (see below).

Common Problems using Ear Tags

If the ear tag placement is not attached correctly, it could cause harm to the livestock. A tetanus outbreak could result from ear tags just a week after they have been attached. Tetanus is an infectious neuromuscular disease that is often fatal (Lotfollahzadeh et al., 2018). There was a study that was published in 2018 that found an outbreak in a flock of sheep (Lotfollahzadeh et al., 2018). Three of the sheep in the flock of a thousand had shown convulsion symptoms, limb stiffness, and lockjaw. In the beginning, the fatality rate was 50% during the outbreak (Lotfollahzadeh et al., 2018).

Another issue to consider is that the tags may tear, or a stud can break. A livestock tag can get caught in the feeder and may tear off the cattle. This can be due to improper placement on the livestock ear. If the tag is inserted too far from the head or too low on the ear, it is more likely to get hung (McMillan, 2021).

Preventions to avoid ear tag problems and disease

Preventing disease can be accomplished with the use of a vaccine to protect the livestock. Also, the risk of infection has a greater chance of being reduced if livestock ears are tagged when they are young, as the healing process is faster than adult livestock (Premier Supplies, 2016). Other remedies to prevent the failure of ear tags are the use of cone type feeders, which reduce tags being pulled off; providing enough bunk space and hay rings; proper placement to minimize lost tags; and using the correct pliers and pins for each brand (Premier Supplies, 2016).

Teaching how to ear tag

The method of adequately tagging the ear of livestock can be seen online through videos that can inform farmers about the process. The process is to secure the animal head, identify the tagging site, properly disinfect the site, place the tag onto the plier, check alignment, position the plier on-site, and firmly close the plier quickly and then release. It is essential to examine whether the ear tag is secured and comfortable. Also, it is important to continue to provide proper care and use of hydrogen peroxide for five to seven days to prevent infection (Richards and Gosz, 2017).

Practical Resources to Get Started

"How to Video" - https://youtu.be/5RkeMAfBb5s

“How to video” - from Alibaba https://russian.alibaba.com/product-detail/jcet010-2020-new-uhf-animal-ear-tag-ear-tag-applicator-for-livestock-cow-pig-sheep-ear-tag-62593600997.html?fromMSite=true

“How to video”- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gcY65DpbP2Q&t=400s

These links are from suppliers of ear tags showing how to handle and use the ear tag pliers properly and attach the ear tag to cattle and other livestock.

https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/livestock-tagging.html This link stats the step-by-step process to properly insert an ear tag.

http://genecheck.com/agriculture-literature/ Picture manual of the steps to insert an ear tag.

Conclusion

In conclusion, livestock ear tags are an efficient way to help record vital information to improve breeding, identify movement, prevent ownership disputes, and promote disease control. These innovations help the farmers have up-to-date information about their stock and can quickly stop the spread of disease. The process is not difficult to undertake and has been shown to be successful.

References

1. Mutua, F., Kihara, A., Rogena, J. et al. (2018). Piloting a livestock identification and traceability system in the northern Tanzania–Narok–Nairobi trade route. Trop Anim Health Prod 50, 299–308. https://doi-org.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/10.1007/s11250-017-1431-4

2. Lotfollahzadeh, S., Heydari, M., Mohebbi, M.R. and Hashemian, M. (2019). Tetanus outbreak in a sheep flock due to ear tagging. Vet Med Sci, 5: 146-150. https://doi-org.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/10.1002/vms3.139

3. Ng, M.L. (2005). A small passive UHF RFID tag for livestock identification. MAPE2005 : IEEE 2005 International Symposium on Microwave, Antenna, Propagation, and EMC Technologies for Wireless Communications : Proceedings : August 8-12, 2005, Beijing, China, 67–70. https://ieeexplore-ieee-org.subzero.lib.uoguelph.ca/document/1617849

4. QC Supply (2018). The form and function of livestock ear tags. March 5, 2018 Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://www.qcsupply.com/blog/product-tips-and-how-tos/the-form-and-function-of-livestock-ear-tags.html.

5. Premier Supplies (2016). How ear tags can help you…. Premier1Supplies. Retrieved October 1, 2021, from https://www.premier1supplies.com/w/ear-tags-for-livestock-identification/.

6. McMillan, K. (2021). Ear tag loss a common problem. DTN Progressive Farmer. Retrieved September 30, 2021, from https://www.dtnpf.com/agriculture/web/ag/livestock/article/2021/01/25/ear-tag-loss-common-problem

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7. Lepheana, R. J., Oguttu, J. W., & Qekwana, D. N. (2020). Spatial Patterns of Anthrax Outbreaks and Cases among Livestock in Lesotho, 2005–2016. International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health, 17(20), 7584. doi:10.3390/ijerph17207584

8. Richards, C., & Gosz, R. (2017). Livestock Tagging - Oklahoma State University. Livestock Tagging. |Oklahoma State University. Retrieved November 15, 2021, from https://extension.okstate.edu/fact-sheets/livestock-tagging.html.

9. USDA National Institute of Food and Agriculture (n.d.). Animal Health. Animal Health | National Institute of Food and Agriculture. Retrieved December 3, 2021, from https://nifa.usda.gov/topic/animal-health.