Are you ready to tag your calves? Under DEFRA regulations, calves must be tagged in each ear within 20 days of birth, recording the country of origin, a holding number and a unique animal number.
Within the next seven days (by 27 days-old) the calf must be registered with the British Cattle Movement Service (BCMS), or it will be refused a cattle passport – essential for the animal to enter the food chain or receive support payments.
And a recent survey carried out in Scotland showed that 1 in 5 farmers had been injured when tagging young calves, or clipping cattle prior to slaughter. So, using the right tag, one that's easy to apply, and one that stays in the ear, is vital.
ZeeTag, the new fully-flexible tag available from CoxAgri and its distributors, is the answer. Coupled with the unique, patented tagger, ZeeTag is secure, durable, and tamper-proof.
"The two parts of the tag swivel more easily, and the plastic it's moulded from is far more flexible than other brands," says Ken Twigg, CoxAgri, sales manager "As a result, it's less likely to get caught, or be pulled out by the cow – so loss rates are far lower."
In addition, the unique quick release action system of the tagger makes ripping ears almost impossible. The self-piercing cutting tip makes the whole process easy, and the tags are safe to apply to calves and mature animals.
"Traceability is becoming more and more important," says Ken. "Farmers want a tag that stays in the ear – retention is now a key part of the tag business. ZeeTags really are 'snag free' as the swivel action allows the tag to turn in the ear if it gets caught, not pull out."
Mf/
-2-
ZeeTag trials with large numbers of dairy cows and beef animals, have shown that it's almost impossible to lose these tags – a big bonus on farms where labour and time are at a premium.
And, if you do happen to lose another branded tag, take advantage of the CoxAgri service that comes with the ZeeTag replacement tag. Order by 4pm, and your replacement will be on farm first thing the following morning – First Class mail permitting!
"Let's face it, tagging isn't a particularly nice task, for either the operator or the animal," says Ken. "But at least this latest design and tagger make the job easier and make it almost impossible to harm the animal."
