Lamb Tattooing is a crucial practice for sheep farmers, ensuring clear and permanent identification for livestock management and registration purposes. This guide provides a comprehensive, step-by-step approach to effectively tattoo your lambs, covering everything from setting up your station to the tattooing process itself. Whether you are a seasoned shepherd or new to raising sheep, mastering lamb tattooing is an essential skill for responsible animal husbandry.
Setting Up Your Tattooing Station
Creating an efficient and safe tattooing station is the first step in the process. A well-organized setup not only speeds up the task but also minimizes stress for both you and your lambs. For optimal efficiency, especially when working alone, consider using a specialized chute system.
The Sydell cage unit is a highly recommended, albeit premium, option. Its integrated head catch is invaluable, allowing a single person to securely restrain a lamb for tattooing. This system significantly simplifies the process and enhances safety.
However, a dedicated chute isn’t mandatory. A workable alternative involves a chair and a cooperative assistant. The seated person positions the lamb in a sitting posture, with its rear on the chair and legs facing away, snugly held between their legs. The holder secures the lamb by its front legs, while the tattooer performs the procedure. This method can be more challenging, particularly with horned lambs, whose struggles might cause bruising to the holder. Leather chaps are advisable for leg protection in such cases.
While the chair method is functional, the efficiency and safety offered by a head catch system will likely make it a worthwhile investment as your operation grows.
Step-by-Step Lamb Tattooing Process
Once your station is set up, you can proceed with the tattooing itself. This involves preparation, tool handling, and precise application to ensure a legible and lasting lamb tattoo.
Preparing the Ear
Proper ear preparation is critical for tattoo ink to penetrate effectively and create a clear, permanent mark. Lambs’ ears often have a waxy coating that can impede ink absorption.
Begin by thoroughly cleaning the ear area where you intend to tattoo with rubbing alcohol. Spray alcohol directly onto the ear to saturate the waxy surface.
Next, use a clean, dry cloth to firmly rub off the alcohol. This action physically removes the wax, dirt, and debris from the tattoo site, ensuring a clean surface for ink application. This step is crucial for tattoo longevity and legibility.
Gathering Your Tattooing Tools
Having all your tools organized and within reach will streamline the tattooing process. Essential tools for lamb tattooing include:
- Tattoo Pliers (5/16th size): Opt for non-revolving pliers as they are less bulky and easier to handle for precise tattooing.
- Numbers and Letters: You’ll need at least two sets of numbers and one set of letters to accommodate flock codes, individual lamb numbers, and year letters.
- Tattoo Ink (Green Recommended): Green ink generally provides better visibility across different ear colors.
- Ice Cube Tray: A helpful organizer for sorting and accessing individual tattoo letters and numbers.
- Table: Provides a convenient surface for tool organization and sorting.
- Clipboard, Paper, and Pen: For recording tattoo information, lamb numbers, and any relevant notes during the process.
- Chair: For comfortable seating while tattooing.
- Toothbrush: For scrubbing ink into the tattoo for better penetration.
Organizing your letters and numbers in an ice cube tray with labeled compartments greatly speeds up the process of assembling your tattoo pliers. Using separate pliers – one pre-loaded with your flock code and another for individual lamb numbers and year letters – further enhances efficiency.
Applying the Tattoo
Understanding the ear anatomy is important for correct tattoo placement. There are three main veins in a sheep’s ear, with two prominent ones running lengthwise. The ideal tattoo location is the space between these two main veins, avoiding direct contact with the veins themselves.
It’s generally recommended to tattoo lambs when they are around 5 to 6 months old. At this age, their ears have grown larger, providing more tattooing space. Tattoos applied to older lambs also tend to last longer.
When applying the tattoo, firmly and quickly close the tattoo pliers to perforate the ear with the needles. Some bleeding is normal and expected after piercing the ear. This will not harm the lamb or affect the tattoo’s quality.
Inking the Tattoo
After applying the tattoo with the pliers, the next crucial step is to ensure the ink is thoroughly worked into the perforations.
Generously apply green tattoo ink to a toothbrush. Vigorously scrub the ink into the freshly made tattoo marks. This scrubbing action forces the ink deep into the punctures, ensuring a clear and lasting tattoo.
While green ink is generally recommended for its visibility across most ear colors, it’s important to note that tattoos, regardless of ink color, may be less visible on lambs with black ears. However, proper inking technique maximizes visibility in all cases.
Registration and Identification Tattoo Conventions
For registration with organizations like the CLRC (Canadian Livestock Records Corporation), there are specific conventions for ear tattoos.
- Right Ear: The right ear is designated for your flock code. For example, if your flock code is SRX, this code is tattooed in the lamb’s right ear.
- Left Ear: The left ear is used for the lamb’s individual flock number followed by the year letter. For instance, the first lamb born in 2007 might be assigned the number 1 and the year letter for 2007 is “T”. Thus, this lamb would be identified as 1T in the left ear. (Note: CLRC avoids letters that resemble numbers, such as O and L).
Maintaining accurate records of your lamb tattooing is essential, particularly for registration purposes.
Tagging as Additional Identification
In addition to tattooing, ear tagging provides another layer of identification. Scrapie tags, for example, are often required for sheep intended for showing or sale.
The placement of ear tags is important to minimize tag loss. Position the tag in the area below the two main veins and close to the lamb’s head. Proper placement reduces the likelihood of the tag being snagged and pulled out when the sheep reaches through fences.
Scrapie tags, like the Alflex tags mentioned, may require authorization from your federal veterinarian. Contact your federal vet to inquire about obtaining Scrapie tags for your flock, especially if you plan to show or sell your sheep. Smaller, free Scrapie tags may also be available through your Federal vet by participating in the Scrapie program.
By combining lamb tattooing and tagging, you establish a robust and comprehensive identification system for your flock.
And with tattooing and tagging complete, your lambs are properly identified!
