Tip #3 - The Value of an Ear Tag
Allflex Electronic Identification livestock ear tags, used on more than one million head of livestock, incorporate the most highly used radio frequency identification system in the world – the TIRIS system by Texas Instruments.
Click here to find out why Dustin Heeter, Penn State Extension Beef Specialist, thinks livestock ear tags are so important to the bottom line.
“Never underestimate the value of an ear tag.” That’s the message many producers hear when learning about how to enter their feeder calves in the Pennsylvania Feeder Calf Pool. Dustin Heeter, Penn State Extension Beef Specialist, coordinates the calf pool.
His job is to enroll producers in the program and explain that they may be leaving money on the table by not participating. According to Heeter, producers can expect more value from their feeder calves if they incorporate just a few more steps into their management systems.
He said that the average added value for the past five years has been $50 to $100 per head, when compared to the calves sold on the same day and same location that had no documentation or individual identification.
The Pennsylvania Feeder Calf Pool requires the following steps for all eligible calves:
- Dehorn
- Castrate male calves
- Vaccinate
- Background calves on feed after weaning
- Apply ear tags
“Without individual identification to document your process, the other steps are meaningless,” said Heeter.
The program uses an Allflex FDX electronic ear tag and an Allflex Tamperproof Global visual tag provided by Pennsylvania Department of Agriculture and the Pennsylvania Beef Council. Pennsylvania calves are marketed in conjunction with calves from the West Virgina Feeder Calf Pool. Together the group markets more than 8,000 calves on an annual basis.
For more information on Allflex Livestock Ear Tags or to place an order by phone, call 1-800-989-TAGS (8247).
To place an order online, click here.
To contact your regional customer service or sales representative, click here.
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