Tagging, Notching or Tattooing

[DKRabbitry]

What method do you use to keep track of your litters? The breed I am looking at is American Guinea Hogs. They are a black hog, so I am thinking tattooing would be rather hard to read (not to mention they are a bit hairy). Tags seem like they would get lost/torn out/etc. So that leaves notching. Just wondering what everyone else does and the pros/cons of each.

 

[Cornish Heritage]

Here on our farm we ear notch piglets within 24 hours of birth. Tattooing is really not that practical if you are selling piglets as you would then have to pick up each one to determine which one your customer is buying. What a pain not to mention stressful on the pigs. Some breeders use tags but we do not like them especially for the floppy eared pigs - they tear them out rather easily & it is a bloody mess not to mention you then have a pig without identification. Ear notching is very simple - there is a universal ear notching system that all pig breeders use (commercial & otherwise). The ear notch is very small & grows as the pigs ears grow. It enables you to immediately identify/find the pig you are looking for. The right ear is the litter number, the left ear is the piglets number so for example - Litter #1, piglet 3 would have a "1" notch in its right ear & a "3" notch in its left. This also allows the breeder to keep accurate info on each pig. Very little room, if any, for error. An ear notcher coast around $15 so not expensive.

Should also mention that only ear notches or AIN tags are acceptable when selling registered pigs across state lines. Regular tags are not acceptable & will have to be tagged to cross.

 

[DKRabbitry]

Thanks. I think I am going to go with notching as well when the time comes. I found this that shows the numbering system and everything http://www.ianrpubs.unl.edu/pages/publicationD.jsp?publicationId=1056

I have read other people mention why mark them if you are just small scale and breeding for yourself? But, the way I see it, I tattoo all my rabbits and I am small scale there. It is sooo much easier to keep track of things if each individual is identifiable from birth (or in the rabbits case from weaning at around 6 weeks).

 

[Cornish Heritage]

It is sooo much easier to keep track of things if each individual is identifiable from birth (or in the rabbits case from weaning at around 6 weeks).

Yes it is! It really helps with your record keeping too. No matter how small you are, good records are important so that you knwo what works & doesn't. Just like writing down how many strawberries we picked last year & when we ran out so that next year we know how many we need.

Thanks for the link - good information. The only thing I would suggest is not making the notches too large. (The ones in the picture are huge!) We used to use the whole "v" for notching but discovered as the pigs ears grew, the notches got too big & they would catch on things & tear the ear so now we only use "half" the "V" if that makes sense & that has really helped. Of course most of the pigs notched in the commercial world only live for 6-9 mths so that isn't time for their ears to grow really big not to mention that most of them never see the outside world to catch their ears on anything.

Liz