Empty bvd samples

lefthooker

Are many people having trouble with empty samples this year?

Always use Mullinahone tags. I had one empty sample back in 2015, but this being my first year using EID tags I’m getting around 25% empty samples from the lab.

Dunedin

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118909361#Comment_118909361

I’m with Cormac and on the EID tags and I’ve had no empties this year.

whelan2

With Mullinahone, haven't had an empty in years

Mooooo

Eid should have nothing to with the sample tag. Use cormac here and haven't had empties in a few years. Would always tag the ear with which 8 have better control using sample tag to make sure anyway

hopeso

A little off topic, but I’m about to start on the EID tags… Are they supposed to go in a specific ear, or does it matter?

ABitofsense

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118909675#Comment_118909675

I rang Cormac tags to ask to be sure. Said it didn't matter unless your using a EID system on the farm and want a specific ear tagged

K.G.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118909675#Comment_118909675

Not a 100 % on this as I don't have an auto feeder but I believe the reader for the tags is on the left side.our crush the wall is on the right so we have been putting them on the left with years

blue5000

2 empty eurotags so far this year, never had one before. I reckon there's a new intern in the lab. How many more years have we to put up with this racket? At least now the dept of aggravation are restricting the messers with +ives.

lefthooker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118910120#Comment_118910120

Really frustrating. In all the years of testing only ever had one empty, and that in the very first year. It has me second guessing myself now when 1 in 4 samples comes back as empty.

ginger22

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118910046#Comment_118910046

for our jfc auto feeder the reader is on the right

Mooooo

Do they need to be that close to read the tags?

hopeso

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118910120#Comment_118910120

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118910435#Comment_118910435

Is it the same lab that's reporting all the empty samples this year, or is it widespread?

K.G.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118911127#Comment_118911127

Many phones can read them.called near field recognition I think

K.G.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118911242#Comment_118911242

Might have one empty every year

Neddyusa

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118910435#Comment_118910435

What lab. I'd an empty for the first time (enfer) last week and there was definitely tissue in the bottle. Cormac tag.

How do you go about getting another sample tag?

Hard Knocks

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118918621#Comment_118918621

We’d 1 this year with Eurotags, you can buy a replacement BVD tag which comes out quick enough and retest

mr.stonewall

Had 10 samples go missing 2 years ago with enfer. Had to order sample kits,re tag these Suckler calves, post and get the results back. To rub salt to the wounds, got a call 3 weeks later saying that they had 10 samples( the one that went missing) and that they had insufficient funds in their online account to test them. Well i stuck into them firmly,but professional. Got them to refund for the 10 missing samples, tags and the cost of the registered post for the posting of the re samples kits. Threatened to go to the small claims court, and look for the above and a labour cost for retagging.

Im truly sick of this money racket

lefthooker

25 samples sent on Monday. Results back this morning, 6 more empty. 13 so far this spring😡

whelan2

6 empty in 1 go?

lefthooker

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118929796#Comment_118929796

Yes. Of the 24 samples 18 returned negative while 6 were deemed empty

Wildsurfer

Sounds like a tagger problem, ring up your supplier and ask them to send you a new one foc

blue5000

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118929929#Comment_118929929

If the tags are going into the animal's ear, what could the problem be with the tagger? L at least you are consistent with a 25% 😮 empty rate. Are you doing the tagging yourself? I haven't used any EID tags yet, not looking forward to it now.

Micey.ie

Could be cutter missing or fell off

whelan2

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/118930724#Comment_118930724

Aren't the bvd taggers a different taggers to the eid ones? We use 2 sets of taggers here

tanko

I’ve never had an empty sample in over 300 tags. I always look to make sure there a sample there and if I’m not sure i punch the sample bit of the tag through the ear again and it takes another one. Also turn the taggers upside down before closing into the wee bottle.

lefthooker

Ive been looking at the tags and I think I've worked out what I'm doing wrong.

I have a system. BVD tag goes in at birth and the second tag goes in when I’m dehorning. That way I can look the pen of calves and see who needs dehorning and who’s been in the crate already. But now the calves are on an automatic feeder so I need the EID tag in too. So I started pairing the EID tag with the BVD sampler. And there’s my mistake.

The BVD front tag has a green membrane to push through so a bit of resistance to help cut the ear sample. The EID tag has no membrane. So pure luck that the cutter was taking an ear sample at all.

Only 1 empty in 7 years and 13 this years because of my stupidity.

Massive 🤦‍♂️

blue5000

Thanks for the heads up. A problem shared........

Jack C

Anyone having empty bvd samples. Just done 21, Eurotags,.. had 4 empties. 12 of the tags were the latest tags with the sample bottle with the blue top, and the 4 empties were all from this batch. The ones from the older batch were fine. I was careful when tagging to keep the sampling part facing up to prevent sample from falling out.

Should I be looking for free replacement tags.

Who2

is everyone using the white insert for the euro tags taggers? I had a couple of empty’s this year and I was told it was the cause,and that a lot of people hadn’t put them in and it was causing hassle.
it seemed by the way she was talking on the phone that she was well used to getting an earful about the tags, ( this was with mullinahone).

Lime Tree Farm

I got the white insert cost €1 along with some replacement tags. There was a credit of €2.48 on the account, where ever that came from.