[OutdoorDreamer]

My boyfriend and I tattooed the kids' ears today in preparation for their ADGA registration. he held them while I did the tattoo work. The Nubians are definatley the easiest to work with. The small eared Swiss type kids are very difficult. Now we just need to get the disbudding down but that will come next kidding season (ours this year were done by someone else with us watching to learn) goat keeping is truly a multi-tasking art with many skills to learn.

 

[eqstrnathlete]

Pics please?! I am getting ready to tattoo Nubians and a lamancha!

 

[ThreeHavens]

We tattooed a yearling yesterday. For some reason I don't mind it at all, it's like an ear-peircing. The disbudding I have a lot of trouble with. Shots not so much, labor YES. :laugh: We all have our different fears. Gladly my mom and I work together, and our different fears balance each other out.

 

[OutdoorDreamer]

Pics please?! I am getting ready to tattoo Nubians and a lamancha!

I didn't get to take any pics, but here is what we did. I had alcohol prep wipes ready for each ear, wiping the ear surface clean. Then after arranging the tattoo digits/letters I made sure they were correct by stamping them onto a piece of paper. As for the tattoo itself just make sure you are in the flat part of the ear skin and not across a fold. If it bleeds a little don't worry, it will soon stop especially after you rub the ink in.

 

[OutdoorDreamer]

We tattooed a yearling yesterday. For some reason I don't mind it at all, it's like an ear-peircing. The disbudding I have a lot of trouble with. Shots not so much, labor YES. :laugh: We all have our different fears. Gladly my mom and I work together, and our different fears balance each other out.

I've always wondered how an older goat will react to having its tattoos done. I will have to do my yearling buck that I'm picking up, if the breeder hasn't done it yet. How did it go?

 

[Scottyhorse]

How do they handle it? Do they freak out like disbudding?

 

[OutdoorDreamer]

They let out a quick scream and they were ok after that.

 

[Scottyhorse]

They let out a quick scream and they were ok after that.

Thanks, thats what I figured. Probably hurts!

 

[OwnedByTheGoats]

I do it to my rabbits. About the same thing, although we used a pen.

 

[ThreeHavens]

My yearling yelped, shook her head, and was fine. We gave her a treat afterwards and she munched on it cheerily. I actually prefer doing them older as there is more room to work with (Nigerian Dwarves). The kids I did also did well. We have quick-release, so it was CLAMP, squeak, done. And everyone got lots of kisses and treats afterwards.

 

[neubunny]

"Do they freak out like disbudding?"

I was pleasantly surprised when we had our little guy disbudded. Our 'goat grandma' (experienced breeder who helps all the 4H kids in the county) had him disbudded and wethered in under 2 minutes -- he squeeked when he went in the box but didn't make a peep during or after. Just shook himself like he was relieved to not be restrained anymore.

Haven't done tattoos on goats, but the bunnies have never resisted (we use a pen tattooer, which isn't as quick, but easier for us). The ear tags seem to bother the goats less than when my daughter had her ears pierced (or when I did mine 30 years ago).

 

[Little-Bits-N-Pieces]

My yearling yelped, shook her head, and was fine. We gave her a treat afterwards and she munched on it cheerily. I actually prefer doing them older as there is more room to work with (Nigerian Dwarves). The kids I did also did well. We have quick-release, so it was CLAMP, squeak, done. And everyone got lots of kisses and treats afterwards.

I have one that is supposed to be the quick release, but it has never worked that way for me. So when I tattoo, its CLAMP, kid SCREAMS, SCREAMS, SCREAMS! While I pry the ear off the needles, SCREAMS some more, I rub ink in, SCREAMS,
The repeat with the other ear! They all hate me.....

I probably should buy a different one, but I'm such a miser, I hate spending money , oh well, the tattooes I do turn out GREAT, they are super pigmented, raised like brail, you could read them if you were blind!

 

[nancy d]

:laugh: Little Bits

 

[Little-Bits-N-Pieces]

:laugh: Little Bits

Oh you laugh now, you wouldn't be laughing if you have my tattoo pliers. haha