There are many essential management practices that are required for an efficiently run cattle operation, including cattle ear tags. For any ranch or farm, ear tagging is critical as it aids in identification, making it possible to know which animal is which and to keep accurate records about every calf, steer, heifer, cow, and bull.
By using individual ID, you’ll be able to track the performance of all your cattle, something that’s key when it comes to decision-making in order to determine which animals are best culled or sold. When you have a record of all of the animals’ history, that decision will be much more objective.
Taking a more in-depth look, this is why you really need to tag your cattle – and, we’ll tell you the best way to do it too.
Breeding Inventory
To determine if you need to obtain more heifers to ensure a good-aged herd, cattle must be tagged to provide an accurate count and keep track of their ages.
Culling Females
It can be difficult to remember all of your cows’ past calves and how they performed. Tagging, when using electronic identification tags like RFIDs, will allow you to view the records and all of the details instead of relying on memory, eliminating the chance for error.
Recordkeeping for Premium Beef Programs
There are many different beef programs like branded beef that have specific requirements that must be followed, including detailed individual performance records which can only be done by tagging. Taking advantage of these programs can be an important marketing avenue that allows you to potentially earn a greater profit, getting optimal prices for your record-keeping and livestock management efforts.
A More Successful, Profitable Operation
By being able to individually identify your bulls, cows, and calves, you can make the most of your management and production processes. The cost, time, and resources required to do so can easily pay for itself in the long run.
Cattle Tagging with RFID
Ear tags are one of the most popular methods used today for unique identification and are available in a variety of types and styles. While the most important thing here is tagging your animals in any method that works for your operation, using electronic identification is something that can be a huge time saver, while providing cost savings and ensuring accuracy. RFID tags are small tags that are placed into the ear of your animals. Each one has a unique 15-digit number and all you have to do is scan a tag using the reader to quickly and easily identify them.
When you manually have to write each ID number down, human error is possible, but by scanning the numbers it takes that out of the equation. They can even be scanned while the cattle are being worked on, moved into a trailer, etc. Plus, an increasing number of industry programs are now requiring electronic records for export and traceability. It’s a big benefit anyway as you’ll be able to capture more value-add per head for the livestock management you’re already doing anyway. Advanced readers also have memory capabilities so the scanned data can be downloaded, making it easy to analyze and keep the most accurate records.
Article Submitted By Community Writer