Innovation in Pig Tags
Are you experiencing hard to read ear tags?
You are not alone! Lots of farmers face this problem, especially those farming pigs in an outside setting. Challenging environments can make individual animal identification particularly difficult at times, with numbers often being misread and incorrectly recorded, resulting in increased cost to the farmer through additional administration and staff hours.
In 2020, Dalton Tags were approached by Andrew Maskery Associates with this exact problem – wanting to find a suitable and financially viable solution. Hearing this reoccurring problem from customers, the two companies wanted to take up the challenge. Combining the extensive experience of Dalton Tags in the UK animal identification market and Andrew Maskery Associates insights into the pig industry, they set out to design an effective solution for identifying pigs in an outdoor environment. It was not a simple solution; however, and a lot of work went into this new idea. To ensure it was legible from far away and in potentially dirty environments, many trials took place to find the best performing tag. The readability of the tag in a dirty and muddy environment was not the only challenge, as the tag also had to have an excellent retention rate and durability to withstand the demanding outdoor environment.
After extensive research and numerous field trials, the unique 3D pig tag was successfully designed. The tag has a proven 99% retention rate within the livestock sector. The plastic is made from durable plastic which provides high elasticity and tensile strength. The 3D tag is available in vast range of colours and can print up to 4 clear and easy to read digits. The tag can be matched with a large, medium, button or electronic to suit the keepers needs.Despite some complications during trials, the new tag with a 3D print was presented to Andrew Maskery Associates which received highly positive feedback from their customers who expressed praise for the product, emphasising that it would solve the ongoing problem of identifying pigs in both indoor and outdoor environments. The newly developed 3D tag can also be used for all types of management identification purposes with the tags being easier to read at substantially greater distances than other conventionally marked tags.
Farmer, Colin Stone, who was nominated for Farmers Weekly Pig Farmer of the Year 2020, stated he thought it was “the ultimate ear tag, standing out against all others”.
Vicki Welch, Manager of Dalton Tags also commented “this new design shows our commitment to the development of innovative solutions for animal identification that helps drive efficiency for farmers that cannot afford the time and costs associated with missing records and extra labour costs”.
The collaboration between Dalton Tags and Andrew Maskery Associates has provided a clean, bold 3D ear tag which is easy to read from a distance, regardless of mud or dirt. The innovative design has been recognised by farmers in the industry and is unique to Dalton Tags. Andrew Maskery said that “the new 3D tag development solves a troubling problem for our customers” and highlights that he is “looking forward to the continued partnership with Dalton Tags in launching the product across the UK into the pig industry”.
For further information about 3D tags, please contact Dalton Tags on 01636 700990 or by email sales@daltontags.co.uk and Andrew Maskery Associates on 01728 685235 or by emailing sales@andrewmaskery.co.uk
