# metal tags on my cows ear?



## Happyfarmwife (Aug 3, 2004)

Can anyone tell me what the numbers on the metal tag on my cows ear are for? Is there a data base somewhere that has the information about my cow on it?

She is a registered Jersey I bought from a person who bought her from a Jersey dairy. I don't have much information about her at all, and the person I bought her from isn't interested in answering my questions.

She has a single bar type metal tag that has numbers and letters on it. I live in Oregon if that makes a difference.

Thanks for any help anyone has to offer.


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

The dairy probably tagged her and used her number to identify her for record keeping. They are the only ones who have a use for that number.


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## Cotton Picker (Oct 10, 2008)

Hi Happyfarmwife,

Sounds like a Brucellosis tag to me:



> All purebred or crossbred cattle or bison subject to registration vaccinated with Brucella abortus vaccine shall be identified on the report of vaccination by their registration number, or dam's registration number, or record association approved individual tattoo or microchip. All grade or not permanently identified cattle or bison so vaccinated shall be ear tagged in the right ear with an official identification tag. In addition to the above identification, all animals shall be identified at the time of vaccination by a tattoo in the right ear. When using a Strain 19 vaccine, the tattoo shall show the quarter and year of vaccination and the letter "V" in the Federal shield. The number of the quarter shall precede the letter "V" in the shield and the last figure of the year shall follow the letter "V" in the shield, as for example, 4V7--"4" means the last quarter (Oct., Nov., Dec.) of the year, "V" means vaccinated, and "7" means the year (example 1997). When using a RB-51 vaccine, the tattoo shall show the letters "R", then the Federal shield followed by the last number of the year the animal was vaccinated (example RV6 would be an animal vaccinated with the RB-51 vaccine in 1996).


http://www.agr.state.il.us/AnimalHW/regs/ahbovbrucregs.html


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## Anderson farms (Mar 26, 2007)

Cotton picker is right. We had to get our dexters brucellosis tags when we sold them. they were small rectangle metal tags. Not sure if there is a database to get any info on her though.


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## ksfarmer (Apr 28, 2007)

Cotton Picker said:


> Hi Happyfarmwife,
> 
> Sounds like a Brucellosis tag to me:
> 
> ...


Think Cotton Picker probably hit the nail on the head.:bash:


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## glenn amolenaar (Mar 3, 2007)

Yes Cotton Picker is right.


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## Happyfarmwife (Aug 3, 2004)

Thanks! I appreciate all the replies.


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## Cotton Picker (Oct 10, 2008)

Happyfarmwife said:


> Thanks! I appreciate all the replies.


You're very welcome. I would not think it too presumptuous to say that all of us were glad to be of assistance.


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## Ken Scharabok (May 11, 2002)

TN is now a Brucellosis-free state and the blood sample and ear tag are no longer required. Previously at the livestock barn a blood sample would be taken and the animal sold on the assumption of being Brucellosis-free. If the lab test came back positive the animal could be tracked to the current owner via the ear tag number.

However, farm/estate auctionioneers cannot sell cattle without a Brucellosis-test. They can step aside and have someone else do the auctioning though.

Some years ago I received a call from the TN Dept. of Ag. Apparently someone had brought up a load of cattle from Texas and they slipped through the system. I had bought three of them at the livestock barn. They wanted me to arrange for a blood test. I told them the three were running with my other cattle in a 100-acre field and THEY were free to come, bring the cattle up to the corral, sort out the three and test them. Never heard back from them.


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## PamB (Jan 15, 2008)

We used to tag all our calves born where I worked with the metal tag. The first number on there was the county number. It was originally for the brucellosis, then it was just for our info, although the vet, where we would get our tags would keep a record of what farm got what tags. Now here in Michigan you are supposed to use the eid tags so the vets wanted all the metal tags back.


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## jim (Jan 22, 2008)

If the tag is in the right ear its a brucellosis tag.Left ear could be a DHIA tag for farmers that keep official production records.


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## samm (Dec 6, 2008)

probably bangs (brucellosis) tag,.. but in Texas any dairy cow male/female has to have a id tag in thier ear it looks like a bangs tag, but you put them in yourself, you get the tags from the health inspecters, or the dairy that they are born at does the tagging. they cant be sold without it, or unloaded at the sale barn...etc
it it linked to tuberculosis, so if the calf comes down with it, they will trace it back to you. we raise alot of holestein calves, and had to tag em so we could sell them.


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## Debbie at Bount (Feb 24, 2005)

My new Angus bull has two ear tags. Real cute with double earrings! but....I always tag my cows so I can keep tract of who is who. Now, I do vacinate my calves but I do not ear tag that I have. When I sell calves it is not a requirement. I do blackleg and a few others so I do not have problems getting them to about 500 pounds which is when I take them to the sell barn.


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## JKB07 (Mar 6, 2008)

Debbie, it sounds like you are just talking about a regular identification tag..... the OP is discribing a bangs tag, which is put in by the vet who vaccinates the animal... two very different tags....


Justin


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## Debbie at Bount (Feb 24, 2005)

Well your right. I was referring to tags I put in or the seller to me has put in. Never seen the vet tags. I wonder if that has something to do with State Regulations? When I sold my sheep flock, the trucker was taking them across State Lines so....I had to have scrapie tags on all the sheep. That had to be put on by the Trucker because they became his sheep when he picked them up.


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