Identification and Record Keeping

by Susan Schoenian

Date of last revision: 14-May-2007 20:50

Click HERE to download as a MS Word file.

Record keeping is an important aspect of sheep production. Performance record keeping helps to identify which lambs should be kept for replacements, which ewes should be kept or culled, and which rams sire the best lambs.

Animal Identification

Record keeping starts with individual animal identificiation. Click HERE to see examples of ear tags and other methods of identifying sheep and lambs.

Record keeping begins with individual animal identification. The ideal sheep identification is permanent, resistant to loss or tearing, easy to red from a distance, easy to apply, and gives all of the information we desire at a glace. Unfortunately, it doesn’t exist. Choice of identification will depend upon the producer's preference, needs, cost, and retention rate in the animal.

There are many methods to identify sheep and lambs, with ear tags being the most common. Ear tags come in many different sizes, designs, and brands. There are brass, aluminum, and plastic tags; button tags, rotary tages, swivel tags, and looping tags; DNA tags, and RFID (electronic tags).

Brass tags are ideal for tagging small or newborn lambs. They are light, so they will not pull down on the ear. However, the lamb must be caught in order to read its tag. Metal tags are the cheapest and easist to apply, but they are more likely to be ripped out and cause a reaction in the ear. Swivel and looping tags work well for lambs and are easier to read than brass tags. Temple tags have an open end to prevent ripping of the ear. However, you must punch a hold in the ear before inserting the tag.  Allflex® and Duflex™ tags are two-piece, plastic tags that come in many different sizes, shapes, and colors. They are easier to read than other tag types. Retention is fairly good, but declines with larger tag sizes. Most companies make smaller tags for sheep and lambs.

In the U.S., Premier1 is one of the leading suppliers of ear tags for sheep and lambs. Many of their tags are approved by USDA-APHIS for use in the mandatory and voluntary scrapie programs. USDA requires all sheep to have premise identification ear tags before leaving the farm of origin (premise). The ear tags carry the owner's premise identification number on one side and a sequentional number on the other side, which can be used for individual record-keeping. In addition to applying tags, producers are required to keep records for five years after the animals have been sold.To get a premise identification number and order free ear tags, producers should call toll-free 1-866-873-2824. Producers participating in the Voluntary Scrapie Flock certification program are required to identify all sheep over 1 year of age with tamper-proof ear tags, tattoos, or microchips.

Other methods of sheep identification include DNA tags, tattoos, ear notches, neck chains, and electronic ID. DNA tags remove ear tissue during installation and automatically store it in a sealed, number tube, for later submission to a lab. The DNA tags are ideal for scrapie genotyping and are more economical than drawing blood for genotyping.

Tattoos are the best permanent form of identification for registered animals because they do not harm the animal's appearance or reduce its value in any way. The numbers and letters are made of needles that place small holes in the ears in their shape and than ink is applied to the holes so that the number is readable. The biggest disadvantage to tatooing is that tattoos are difficult to read from a distance.

An ear notch is a V-shaped notch placed somewhere in the ear. While swine producers use ear notching as a complete animal identification system, ear notching in sheep is usually used for simple differentiation. For example, ear notching can be used to denote birth type and/or week of birth. Ear notches can be used to mark ewes for culling.

Neck chains or straps are the least used form of identiciation in sheep. They are most common with dairy animals. Neck chains have a numbered tag that corresponds to that animal's identification number. The chain most be positioned around the animals neck tight enough not too fall off, but loose enough not to allow for easy breathing and growth of young animals. Growing animals need to be inspected frequently. Chains can be caught on protrusions that may choke an animal. They are difficult to see when animals are in a group. They are not a form of permanent identification since they can be easily removed.

Electronic ID.  The number of animals being identified with radio frequency identification (RFID) technology is rapidly growing. Electronic ear tags are the most common form of electronic ID. A microchip and coiled copper antenna is encapsulated in a standard plastic ear tag. A rumen bolus is administered using a balling gun and resides in the reticulum of the animal. It is easily removed by the packer and can be recycled. Microchips are a form of identification that involves the implanting of an electronic chip with a miniature radio transponder and antenna, under the skin of an animal. The most common implant site is between the shoulder blades or near the base of the ear. The transponder can also come in a form that can be ingested by the animal.

The U.S. Animal Identification Numbering System will probably eventually require the use of RFID technology to automate the recording of animal movements.  Click HERE to learn about the National Animal Identification System (NAIS) and Animal Electronic Identification.

Ear tags should be placed between the middle and lower cartilage ribs in the ear and far enough out on the ear to allow for later wool growth.In additional to identifying an individual animal, ear tags can contain other useful information about the animal. The first number on an ear tag can be used to denote the animal's birth year. Different colored tags can be used for different birth years, breed types, sires, or owners. The name or registration prefix of the producer or farm can be written or imprinted on the tag. Ear tags can be inserted in different ears (right or left) to denote birth type, sex of the lamb, breed type, or sire.

Temporary ID.  Sometimes, temporary identification is desirable in a sheep flock. Paint branding; marking crayons, sticks, and rattles; and spray markers can all be used to identify sheep and lambs for periods of several weeks to several months. Marks from marking crayons will usually last for several weeks, whereas paint brands tend to last for many months. Some producers will paint brand or spray paint a ewe's number on her back or side for easy identification. The same number can be put on the lambs' backs so that ewe-lamb pairs can easily be monitored. Ordinary spray paint sheep never be applied to sheep.

Paint brands allow for quick identification. They are usually used in conjunction with another type of identification. Paint branding is useful for sales and exhibition because it is temporary identification that is easily visible and easy to identify animals in a sale. Paint branding is also useful when offspring need to be identified with their their parents. Man producers paint brand ewes and lambs before they leave the jug. Paint numbers are usually applied on the left side for consistency in reading. When paint branding wool-producing sheep, only fluids which have been made specifically for sheep should be applied (e.g. Etro-Mark). Heavy applications should be avoided because excess paint makes it difficult to scoure the wool. Ideally, wool producers should avoid the use of paint brands on their sheep.

Paintsticks, Chalks, and Sprays have many uses for temporarily marking animals and come in many colors so you can use them at the same time for different IDs. Sheep are commonly marked with these on the back or head. They are commonly used to mark pregnant and open ewes during pregnancy checks, as well as to mark animals that need treated or have been treated or need sorted off from a group and about any thing else you can think of.

Production Records

Computerized record keeping
While spreadsheets (e.g. Excel) and databases (e.g. Access) can be used to record, sort, and analyze performance data, there are several commercial software packages that can be used to keep production records. Many are specific to sheep enterprises and offer free demo versions of their software.

National Sheep Improvement Program (NSIP)

Producers marketing breeding stock benefit the most from NSIP. For more information about NSIP, click HERE.

Suggested Additional Reading
Animal Identification and Record Keeping [PDF] from the Ontario Sheep Marketing Agency.
Understanding Sheep Expected Progeny Differences [PDF] from Virginia Tech.