# Scrappie ear tag's?



## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Our little nubian doeling we got almost 2 weeks ago has a plastic scrappie tag in her ear, it's the kind that has a tag on the front & the back.

Well I want it off, anyone know what I should use to take it off or what to use to cut it off without hurting her?

There pasture area has alot of brush & some woods along with, grasses & weeds. It looked like she got it caught in a bush or something, not ripped but looked like it had bled some, etc.
It was fine when we brought her home & looked all healed up, she is 9 weeks old.

I know they are supposed to have them in there ear & I will save it in her file but I want it out of her ear.


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## Rockytopsis (Dec 29, 2007)

DH just uses side cutting wire cutters.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Thanks Nancy, I'll see what dh has here.
Should I wait till it doesn't look tender? I never have liked those tags, even though I know there supposed to have them in.


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

> Should I wait till it doesn't look tender?


I wouldn't wait, but have some help because it's easy to rip the ears if they pull away

Also, look carefully at the tag.

One side will be a lot easier to cut because it will be thinner


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

I cut Gretta's off easily with a kitchen scisors. It left a hole in her ear and she would like a diamond stud earring to replace it.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

If she has a registered tattoo, she doesn't need the tag.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Minelson said:


> I cut Gretta's off easily with a kitchen scisors. It left a hole in her ear and she would like a diamond stud earring to replace it.


That is too Funny, gave me a good laugh!


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Thanks for the tips everyone, I'll check it out closer tomarrow & figure out what to use, etc.

I would definately have dh hold her while I cut if off or vice a versa.

Alice I didn't see a tatoo in her ear but I'll have to look close at each one, would it be in the same ear as the tag? The inside of her ears are dark brown so maybe it's just hard for me to see it.

One of my older goats lost her tag last year, never found the tag & her ear wasn't ripped & no blood or anything, just weird I never could find it.
I have another that has the old one's that are metal, thin type that actully goes around the edge of the ear. I've been going to cut that one off too for along time but it never seems to get in the way of anything.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Is she a registered goat? Like with the ADGA? Registered goats are supposed to be tattooed with a unique number.

If she is registered, you got papers with those numbers on them.

If she's not, then there will not be a tattoo.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

I took the TB tag out of my first goat's ear many years ago. Hers was crusty and gross looking. She still has a hole in her ear, but I can't imagine tagging goat's ears - seems dangerous if you ask me. I wouldn't wait till it's not tender, I'd just do it ASAP. It'll heal faster without it in the way, IMO.


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## thaiblue12 (Feb 14, 2007)

Our scrapies tags here are small metal tags that wrap around the outside of the ear with a series of numbers. Really easy to remove. Your sounds more like those tags that they use on cattle with a number on them, that snap together front and back. I bought a goat that had both and took them out the first day she was here. Scrapies was easy but the snap together, one was a pest since the metal was so thick. Had to have a neighbor hold her while we cut away the plastic to get to just the metal part and than used a wire type cutter. it is a two person job, they need to sit still. 

Scrapies healed up and you could not see it anymore but the other left her with a nice big hole that I too joked and said she needs and earring. It had to be washed and I put neosporin on it since it was crusty and not healed. 

Not sure why they put big tags in goats ears, don't they know it just attracts the other goats to bite and check out that weird thing sticking there?


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## CaliannG (Apr 29, 2005)

Scrapie tags mean that the sheep or goat that has it comes from one of two possible situations:

1. The originated in a flock or herd that is participating in the Scrapie Flock Certification Program, OR,

2. The sheep or goat with the tag originally came from out of state and was tagged for the purpose of interstate transport.

If you are not participating in the USDA Scrapie Flock Certification Program, you can trash the tag. It is of no use to you. Even if you were planning to transport the goat to another state, you'd have to get a *new* tag from your own State Office.

I don't even keep mine in a file. And no, the number on the tag would not correspond to any registry tattoo. A completely unregistered, brush goat that is half unknown grade doe and half athletic escape artist might still have a scrapie tag if its owner is participating in the program.

The big, floppy, annoying and dangerous tag means that whomever had the goat in the program was too cheap to get *goat specific* tags and just used the ones that the USDA gives out to program participants for free. The USDA uses the same size tags for EVERYTHING, every livestock program, etc., which is why they are calf-sized.

Get the thing off the poor dear.


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

There is a tool, but i used a pair of dog nail clippers the plier type and it worked great. If its still kinda fresh then I would take it out asap because the ear may heal without the hole in it, if its already mostly healed than its not going to make a difference


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

Backfourty said:


> Our little nubian doeling we got almost 2 weeks ago has a plastic scrappie tag in her ear,


It's illegal to remove them, so don't post about it. A lot of goats "loose" them in the fence. They are NEVER removed. This is especially important to remember because it is illegal to remove them. They must be on a goat you transport, so obviously your goat was purchased from somewhere else. Perhaps different states vary in their enforcement of the law, but it is illegal to remove them.
http://www.ct.gov/doag/lib/doag/pdf/regulations_-_scrapie_eradication.pdf
"""No person shall remove or tamper with an official identification device."""
Section22-278-A5

Any cutting tool will cut plastic.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

mekasmom said:


> It's illegal to remove them, so don't post about it. A lot of goats "loose" them in the fence. They are NEVER removed. This is especially important to remember because it is illegal to remove them. They must be on a goat you transport, so obviously your goat was purchased from somewhere else. Perhaps different states vary in their enforcement of the law, but it is illegal to remove them.
> http://www.ct.gov/doag/lib/doag/pdf/regulations_-_scrapie_eradication.pdf
> """No person shall remove or tamper with an official identification device."""
> Section22-278-A5
> ...


That is what the guy who I bought Gretta from said...illegal to remove them. So I was afraid I would get arrested or something if I cut it off. Then one day I just thought the heck with it and I cut it off. So far no jail time :thumb:


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

Remember those tags on the mattresses? I take those off, too.:hysterical:


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## CaliannG (Apr 29, 2005)

http://www.bah.state.mn.us/diseases/scrapie/id_faq.html

That's the ones for Minnesota.


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## Slugmar (May 26, 2008)

Personal I don't remove them and most does if you want to sale them in california have to be tagged, they could potintiel help with a tacking of scrappie that could devastate our herds.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

OR, they could be another aspect of BIG BROTHER who wants to control your food supply because a populace who can't feed itself cannot rebel against tyranny.


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## CaliannG (Apr 29, 2005)

Alice, I am a true rebel. I don't stop at mattresses. I take the tags off of *pillows* too.


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## Slugmar (May 26, 2008)

there is that possibilty aslo, but with me I'm starting to sale replacment doe's, market animals so alot of the customer ask for them.


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## HappyFarmer (Jun 17, 2006)

Those tags are almost cruel. I must say though the metal ones are easier on the goat & actually last a lot longer. Yes it's illegal to remove them but give it enough time and you won't have to. Shredded ears, holes, stuck goat, nasty things those tags are.

If you havn't documented the tag #, do so. If there is ever a problem you can trace it back to which goat it belonged to. Cover your butt.

HF


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

mekasmom said:


> It's illegal to remove them, so don't post about it. A lot of goats "loose" them in the fence. They are NEVER removed. This is especially important to remember because it is illegal to remove them. They must be on a goat you transport, so obviously your goat was purchased from somewhere else. Perhaps different states vary in their enforcement of the law, but it is illegal to remove them.
> http://www.ct.gov/doag/lib/doag/pdf/regulations_-_scrapie_eradication.pdf
> """No person shall remove or tamper with an official identification device."""
> Section22-278-A5
> ...




The woman I bought her from lives in this state, in our state I believe any goat you sell or is leaving your farm to go to someone else's even if it's a mile down the road is suppose to have a tag I believe.

I don't like them & I don't tag them either.
It's coming OFF, I'll take my chances with the law.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

thaiblue12 said:


> Our scrapies tags here are small metal tags that wrap around the outside of the ear with a series of numbers. Really easy to remove. Your sounds more like those tags that they use on cattle with a number on them, that snap together front and back. I bought a goat that had both and took them out the first day she was here. Scrapies was easy but the snap together, one was a pest since the metal was so thick. Had to have a neighbor hold her while we cut away the plastic to get to just the metal part and than used a wire type cutter. it is a two person job, they need to sit still.
> 
> Scrapies healed up and you could not see it anymore but the other left her with a nice big hole that I too joked and said she needs and earring. It had to be washed and I put neosporin on it since it was crusty and not healed.
> 
> Not sure why they put big tags in goats ears, don't they know it just attracts the other goats to bite and check out that weird thing sticking there?



It sounds like the plastic kind your talking about, only the part that goes through the ear also looks plastic. I'm afraid there's metal inside the plastic.
Dh will definately help me cut it off.

I have a doe with the metal kind your talking about too, I bought her with it & I have no problem with that one.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> OR, they could be another aspect of BIG BROTHER who wants to control your food supply because a populace who can't feed itself cannot rebel against tyranny.




I agree Alice, one more way for the government to get in our buisness!


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## farmerjohn (Jun 11, 2010)

The Scrappie tags are required in some areas for 4-H as well as some out of state purchases of goats. IMO I do not care for nor want goverment intervention on my farm/animals. I realize the importance of disease control and that many-unfortunately-do not practice the prevention of such. I know 4-H animal homes who do Scrapie must be registered? IMO another way to count how much you have in livestock.


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## mekasmom (Jan 19, 2010)

I have had many goats loose those plastic tags in the fencing. They seem to come off quite often around here. But I am smart enough to know that it is not legal to purposely take them off. 
I'm not really concerned about disease tracking because it just isn't a problem in this area.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> Remember those tags on the mattresses? I take those off, too.:hysterical:


That's exactly what I was thinking!


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