All about SET Tags

A Shearwell tag applicator has two jaws that hold the tag in the correct position as you squeeze the handles together to tag a sheep. The top (round part) of the tag sits in a round space in one jaw, and the bottom (square part) of the tag is seated in the square space in the bottom jaw.

The top and bottom jaws of the applicator are replaceable so that you don't need to throw away your applicator because the tag jaws have changed. The old jaws are green; the new jaws are black.

You should receive a set of new black jaws for your tag applicator with your first order of SET tags. These jaws are inserts that are easy to install – remove the two screws that hold the green jaws in place, pop out the green inserts, and fit the new black inserts in their place. Secure the new black inserts with the two screws.

You must replace both the top and bottom jaws or tagging will be very difficult if not impossible!

Like medicine and feed, ear tags need to be stored correctly if you expect them to perform. Protect your SET tags from the weather– not broiling in the sun on the dash of the pickup; not forgotten out by the chute in a pail full of rain water or left to enjoy all four seasons of the year on a shelf in the lambing barn.

Correct storage for SET tags:

• In their original zipper-lock bag, with the top sealed.
• Inside a plastic food container with a sealable lid, kept closed.
• Out of direct sun.
• In a warm, dry place. If the room is comfortable for humans, it's comfortable for tags.

Each strip of SET tags is made in a mould. The plastic is a nylon compound, with additives for colour and laser marking. As part of the curing process, the plastic needs to absorb a small amount of moisture to become supple enough to use.

During application, the spike must be rigid enough to pierce the ear, but the tag must also be flexible enough to bend at the hinge. As the applicator is squeezed, the tip of the spike is forced through the hole at the other end of the tag. The hole must expand a little, and the spike must compress a little, as the tag is closed.

The base price of the SET tag is similar around the world but the currency exchange rate, import duties and shipping costs affect the wholesale price for suppliers. These are global forces beyond our control.

The biggest influence on the retail price of tags to sheep producers is their own industry governance. Most countries have a levy at the regional or national level for industry support – some at point of slaughter, some when sheep are moved, or some, like Canada, at sale of tags. Some countries subsidize the cost of tags to their farmers which keeps the tag price artificially low.

Yes – for best retention place tags in the top of the ear, close to the head, with room left for growth if the animal is young. The microchip should be inside the ear, not on top where it can be damaged. Tags that are put in upside down might also rotate in the ear, which can result in irritation and infection.

It's also the easiest way to tag for the spike to be on top of the ear, so the force of closing the applicator is pushing the spike down through the skin. If the spike is coming from the bottom up instead, then the skin is being pushed down over the spike which takes a lot more force. That will also put the microchip on the top of the ear instead of inside the ear where it is better protected.

Knowing how RFID tags work might help you understand what can go wrong.

RFID tags have no internal power source like a battery. The microchip in the tag is energized by the radio frequency of the tag reader. The electrical current is very small but just strong enough to power up the tag to transmit the EID number stored inside. This is one reason why the read range of RFID tags is relatively small – the tag and reader must be in close proximity for the tag to absorb enough energy to transfer its number.

Here are some ideas to consider if you have trouble reading a tag.

2. Two tag readers trying to scan the same RFID tag will result in neither one getting it to read. If an animal is in a weigh crate equipped with a panel reader and you try to scan the tag with a handheld reader – the two signals will interfere with each other and stop the EID number from being transmitted. Shut off one or the other reader and the tag might scan properly.
3. Too many tags close together can interfere with each other. Animals with their heads together can be a challenge for a handheld reader – multiple tags are powered up at once and send out a signal simultaneously.
4. A panel reader can be stopped from working by interference from florescent lights or from an electric motor nearby. An air compressor parked too close to the weigh or drafting crate can be the culprit. Shut off electrical equipment. Turn the tag reader off and then back on before you try scanning the tag again.
5. Another obvious but often overlooked fault – is the tag reader powered on? For a handheld reader put in fresh batteries; for a panel reader check the power cable is connected and switches are set to on!

1. Possible cause: You have the wrong jaws in your applicator.
   Quick fix: Check your applicator – you need both black jaw inserts installed in the applicator.
   Solution: Replace the old green jaws with the new black jaws in your applicator.
    
   
   

   

   If you put a SET tag in an old applicator:

   • The spike will come down in front of the hole.
   • The tag will pop out of the applicator as you squeeze the handles.
   
    
   
2. Possible cause: Tags have absorbed too much moisture so the plastic has softened.
   Quick fix: Hold the ear firmly and try pushing the applicator forward slightly as soon as the spike breaks the skin. On a soft tag the spike will bend out instead of down if you pull back even slightly with the applicator as the spike touches the ear.
    
   
   

   
   
    
   
   
    
   Solution: Dry out the tags before applying. Open the storage bags and place in a frost-free freezer for a week before you need to tag, to allow the cold dry air to remove some of the excess moisture. If you need to tag immediately expose the tags to warm dry air for a short time, such as under a heat lamp or in a warm (not hot!) oven at 160°F (70°C) for an hour or so. (NOTE: it must be a conventional oven definitely NOT a microwave oven!) Don’t overheat the tags or they will become too dry and brittle. When the tags have returned to good condition be sure to store them properly before they absorb too much moisture again.
    
   
3. Possible cause: The sheep's ear is too tough for the spike to get through. Quick fix: Apply the SET tag to the underside of the ear where the skin is thinner. Retention rates are highest when SET tags are applied on the top of the ear close to the sheep’s head, but that is also where the ear is thickest and toughest to tag on an older animal.
    
   
    
   Solution: For very tough old ears you have the option to switch to a two-piece tag with a metal spike. Or pre-punch a hole in the ear at the desired spot, and then apply the SET tag into the hole.

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If you're still having problems please get in touch

Possible cause: Tags have dried out too much so the plastic is brittle.
Quick fix: Drop the tags into warm water for 5 minutes before you need to tag.
Solution: Very cold air is also very dry air. If you must tag in winter keep SET tags warm the same way you keep your medicine from freezing – pocket, heat lamp, heating pad, etc.

Note: Tags that have broken into two pieces will not fall out. In fact, we recommend cutting tags at the hinge if they are restricting the growth of the ear. Always leave room for growth when tagging lambs or the ear can be damaged as it grows.

If you’ve followed the other tips above and are still having problems with your tags then please get in touch with us. In the first instance, we suggest you contact your supplier.

Contact information for branch locations across Canada for Canadian Co-operative Wool Growers Limited (CCWG) and other distributors is given below.