Who is your cattle tag supplier

mr.stonewall

It would be worthwhile getting a snap shot of where folks are getting tags from. Issues that people having, and what people like about certain tags.

Over 90% of the tags used in the country per year have been used so far

Base price

Mullinahone Co Op

I haven't had any issues with Mullinahone tags with our own stock and touch wood haven't had a empty BVD sample - I've probably cursed myself now!

We buy in and feed dairy cull cows and they were a torture a few years ago with tags falling out mostly at the feed barrier. I spent too much time ordering replacement tags but it seems to have changed about and we have very few nowdays.

whelan2

Mullinahone Co Op

With Mullinahone, didnt have a problem with them until this year. Will change when i use up what I have.

893bet

Mullinahone Co Op

Mullinahone. Never had an empty. Only using 15 sets a year.

farmertipp

Cormac tags

changed to cormac from mullinahone because I had loads of empties

mr.stonewall

Cormac tags

Switched a few years ago after after a few neighbours had done so with very good feedback. Really liked that no messing with putting a pin into a sample bottle and the tags in a strip. Had a few empties over the years with mullinahone, none for the past 4 years with Cormac tags.

The speed at which they get tags out is fantastic and really noticed it with the bdgp tags. They were the fastest out of the blocks

893bet

Mullinahone Co Op

got the scep tags from mullinahone today so big improvement on last year.

Dunedin

Cormac tags

moved from mullinahone to Cormac about 5-6 years ago. Cormac far better.

Castlekeeper

Cormac tags

Mullinahone took the Mickley when they had it all to themselves, pawning off dud tags with high replacement rates. I chanced Cormac when they started up and it was like day and night in terms of quality and service.

PoorFarmer

Mullinahone Co Op

I have the home herd with Mullinahone and OH has hers with Cormac. What I like about Cormac is that you have one tagger that does the whole lot. At the moment with button tags for SCEP from Mullinahone I have 3 different tags to apply to each calf and that is 3 different tagger set-ups. That will drop to 2 soon enough but is still one too many. Will be switching to Cormac as soon as I have my stockpile used up too I think.

There seems to be an improvement over the last few years with the quality of Mullinahone and I don't seem to be getting as many lost tags as previously. There are still too many pros for Cormac IMO though

One tagger does all

Sample tags much simpler as the bottle is attached

No waste, tags come in a strip of 4 with perforations between them, Mullinahone are all clipped into those little plastic carriers that they inevitably fall out of and are an extra waste and need to be disposed of.

Quicker turnaround times from order to delivery

whelan2

Mullinahone Co Op

Straw that broke the camels back here was waiting over 30 minutes on the phone for them to answer and the woman answers laughing. How can farmers be expected at the busiest time of the year to wait over half an hour for them to answer the phone. Ordering extra pink envelopes only to be told they've none themselves and they're waiting on them from France. In fairness you can now order those envelopes on line but couldn't when I rang

orm0nd

Cormac tags

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122083681#Comment_122083681

mullinahone had a serious problem with lost tags one year, after press publicity they sent replacement foc, I had maybe 25 tags left over 'till the next and no way would they replace them eventhough they knew they were the same batch

often waited 6 weeks for delivery after paying, switched to cormac and different world , even the staff on the phone lines are pleasant and helpful

whelan2

Mullinahone Co Op

No one has voted for the lesser known suppliers

mr.stonewall

Cormac tags

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122085084#Comment_122085084

It must be very hard for companies to gain market share after the monopoly times

Who2

Back to mullinahone tags here.

I went with Cormack tags for two years and went back to mullinahone. I hate Cormack tags tagger is the main reason. I like to get both tags set up with mullinahone ones then tag and dehorn as well.Cormack are far better getting the tags out but realistically a lot of the time it’s my own fault for not having them ordered early enough. Mullinahone are quick enough getting replacements sent out so it’s not a major hassle.

whelan2

Mullinahone Co Op

I ordered 3 replacement tags at breakfast time this morning, these were free and I just had to pay postage. They were dispatched this evening

Lime Tree Farm

Mullinahone Co Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122086779#Comment_122086779

How did you manage to get free tags.

whelan2

Mullinahone Co Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122086877#Comment_122086877

You get free replacement tags with Mullinahone, not sure if there's an age limit on them. 2 of these were born last August and the other was a tag I broke while tagging a few weeks ago

Lime Tree Farm

Mullinahone Co Op

Thar explains the credit last time I ordered a replacement for a yearling.

kk_man

Cormac tags

Gave up on Mullinahone after 10% empty last year. Rang up to complain and the usual comments of "are you using the right tag with the right back". After 10 plus years tagging that's hard to listen to. Went to Cormac and just 1 empty sample this year

Sheep breeder

Mullinahone Co Op

Using Mullinahone since the start here, order tags out of season and no problem getting them, replacement order before mid day have them the next day’s post, tag retention is all about where the tag is placed in the ear. Also Mullinahone is a better sheep tag than Cormac, Cormac the laser number wears off after a couple of years and hard to read.

kollegeknight

mullinahone since plastic tags started.

No issues at all. When a tag is lost and re ordered, I get replacements quick.

only issue is invoices but that could be me

Anto_Meath

Mullinahone Co Op

We are with Mullinahone since my dad's time think 1996 they started using the plastic tags there was 4 letters in them in the beginning.

No real issues with them. I got a free tagger from them this year, think it's the only free thing I ve ever gotten from them. I actually like using the two taggers, I find it quick & handy.

Gillespy

Cormac tags

Had completely forgotten some of the details of using the Mullinahone tags.

Cormac much more efficient system. Sample is done with no fiddly bottles needed. They've improved how the tags come in the box too. Used be in a bag and needed to be careful taking them out to keep in order. Now lined up in the box ready to use. Cardboard box the only waste. Could throw it under calves when empty. That cannot be said of the other lot.

Lime Tree Farm

Mullinahone Co Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122088128#Comment_122088128

Have to agree the Mulli.. tubes are indeed fiddly

whelan2

Mullinahone Co Op

THe red and blue tubes are alot better

Lime Tree Farm

Mullinahone Co Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122088232#Comment_122088232

still if enough of us make a fuss, they just might up their game to something similar to Cormac's.

whelan2

Mullinahone Co Op

It's the phone service they really have to improve, it's terrible.

visatorro

Mullinahone Co Op

Is there any difference in price.?

Had my mind made up to switch to cormac one year, then never bothered. I don't mind using 2 taggers. Don't seem to replace as many tags now. They probably rode their luck when they had it all to themselves. Just shows abit of competition is no harm

cjpm

Cormac tags

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122092169#Comment_122092169

Rode their luck?!

Rode every farmer in Ireland that had to replace their substandard tags more like.

Cormac here.

893bet

Mullinahone Co Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122082591#Comment_122082591

I deserve this

Lime Tree Farm

Mullinahone Co Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122092540#Comment_122092540

Watch out, they must be keeping tabs on your social media

whelan2

Mullinahone Co Op

I hope theyre reading my posts about them...

Sheep breeder

Mullinahone Co Op

The big thing for me now is the con job of BVD testing still going and the cost involved after so many years, should have being done away with at this stage like the brucellosis testing.

oldsmokey

weve been using mullinahone for years..no more..endless lost tags..endless waiting on the phone…a pand pay the postage for “warranty “..a cod..im off to cormac…btw..was talking to a man today, went to datamars..happy with them.

Base price

Mullinahone Co Op

I ordered a replacement tag from Mullinahone for a cow on Tuesday 28th of May. The tag was in the post box on Thursday the 30th. IMO their service has greatly improved (thanks to competition) in the last two/three years.

whelan2

Mullinahone Co Op

They really need to work on their phone service. No one is going to wait 45 minutes to speak to someone

DukeCaboom

Agritags

It's mainly cull cows I buy here. I reckon 15% of my cows have one tag. I'm nearly finished buying so this time of year I order all the one tags. I bought two cows together in a mart and they'd one tag between the two of them only after fortnight. Last week I bought a cow in a mart with just the white dna tag on her. It's really really frustrating that if I get an inspection and I've X amount one tag its on me.

In fermoy mart last Tuesday the dept landed and pulled out about 13 cattle with one tag even at that I still ended up buying a cow with one and the dept never spotted her.

DukeCaboom

Agritags

I use agritag , I find them great I've tried everyone else, they also have by far the nicest tagger.

patsy_mccabe

Cormac tags

What is the Dept policy on tag replacement? I'm with Cormac and want to get replacement tags for lost ones on a few cows. It says on their site - "It is a legal requirement to replace a lost EID tag with another EID tag" but how do you know if the the cow had an EID tag originally?

What year were the EID ones made compulsory?

Base price

Mullinahone Co Op

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122213930#Comment_122213930

Calves born from the 1st of July 2022 must have an EID tag. Cattle born prior to that then ordinary tags are ok.

patsy_mccabe

Cormac tags

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/122213984#Comment_122213984

Great, that makes them all ordinary tags so.

Say my name

Have to have everything ship shape this year. Not that I don't anyway.

Ordered replacement tags for a number of cows which lost a tag over the winter. I put the order in with Mullinahone online at 10.20 am. I had them in the letterbox the next morning.

On tagging the cows. All the replacement tags were for the cows left side ear. Each cow was missing a tag on the left side.

I have diagonal barriers and a locking feed barrier.

patsy_mccabe

Cormac tags

Anyone know if BVD testing will continue into next year? I have calf tags to order and crazy to be ordering BVD ones if testing will stop after this year.