Know Your Options for Tagging Cattle

The right tagging systems save time, labor and money. 

In ranching, doing the little things right can make a big difference. That’s why picking the right ear tags and identification system for your cattle can’t be overlooked. The right tags and identification system improve organization, make data easier to utilize and save time.  

“One of the biggest things that we see with our customers is you can't manage an animal if you don't have them identified…I think just that good ID system is really a foundation for a good record keeping system all the way to the top,” says Brittany Kelsey, team leader for CattleTags.com. 

Good ID systems will vary from ranch to ranch but at the core, they allow ranchers to easily identify an individual animal in the pasture, identify ownership and access data. All of these are easily attainable once ranchers know their options for tag types, numbering systems and EIDs.  

Tag types and options 

One tag. Two tags. Pink tags. Blue tags. Just how many options are available to ranchers? 

Kelsey says, “A lot of ranchers don't realize the possibilities that they can have with their tags.” 

If the possibilities seem endless, where should ranchers start? 

“The first thing that we usually visit with our customers about is the size of tag or the animal that they're going to be putting them in,” explains Kelsey. “Whether you're tagging calves that are then getting a new tag later on in life or if you're just tagging mature animals, cows, bulls, that will determine the size of tag you’ll want.” 

Other front-end considerations are if this animal is in the herd short-term or long-term. Tagging potential replacement heifers with a permanent sized tag and unique ID eliminates the step of retagging them later on compared to steers that are on the ranch for less than a year in some cases.  

Picking the color of tag is next. This can be a fun step for the younger generation receiving their first cow or calf, but it shouldn’t be a light decision.  

“It’s important to pick a color that is easily readable in the field from a distance,” explains Kelsey. “It should also correspond with your operation. For example, we have a lot of producers that might pick blue tags for all their bull calves and pink for all their heifers.” 

Different colors can also correspond to different owners or categories of cattle. It’s an easy visual to help differentiate cattle in the field.  

Two other considerations are one-piece versus two-piece tags and engraved versus inked numbers.  

Kelsey notes, “One unique thing about Allflex tags are that they are laser engraved and then inked over. Those tags are guaranteed to be readable for the life of the animal… blank tags with a marker is fine if it's a short term use for calves that are getting a new tag when they're mature or a short term feeder program, but the marker fades.” 

And as if there weren’t enough options already, think through how much information you want on the tag. Sky’s the limit with ranchers doing anything from a single ID to adding the sire, dam, brands or even phone numbers to the tags.  

Numbering systems 

Deciding the type of identification system your operation will use may not sound like the fun part, but it is the most important part of this process if you want a smooth record keeping process year after year.  

“Avoiding duplicates is the biggest thing,” says Kelsey. “The number 10 is the same to the computer whether it belongs to the cow, replacement heifer or calf.” 

Common numbering systems to avoid duplicates include using an alpha-numeric approach where different letters correspond to different years. Or some ranchers put the last one to two digits of the year on the front of the tag. 

For example, cattle born in 2026 would have IDs with the first two digits being 2-6 or 6. Using just a 6 will create duplicates for cows that last 10 plus years in the herd.  

She shares, “When you first look at the tag, you want to be able to quickly say in your mind, she's a five year old…So picking a system that isn't really complicated matters.” 

EIDs and readers 

Of course, in 2026 we can’t leave electronic identification devices (EIDs) out of the cattle ID conversation.  

“We get a lot of questions about EIDs,” says Kelsey. “It’s not a complicated technology or system. It’s just unfamiliar to a lot of producers.” 

The main benefit is reducing risks error.  

She explains, “When you're processing several hundred head through a chute in a day and you're just recording the visual, there's room for error for punching in the wrong number,.” 

EIDs also save time and increase organization. All the data you want tied to your specific animals can be tied back to that individual number.  

“One question we get from producers is if they buy cattle from someone else, can they scan the EID to see the animal’s lifetime data,” says Kelsey. “That’s not how that works. The tag doesn’t store the information, the computer system does.” 

EIDs also open doors for cattle marketing depending on the value-added program or supply chain producers want to be a part of.  

Before purchasing EIDs and a scanner, take into consideration the bigger picture of how you will use this technology.  

“With Allflex we have three different readers that go from very basic to ones that are just a little bit more advanced,” says Kelsey. “Just thinking about, am I just wanting to record those numbers and match them with a visual ID as those cows go through the chute and create a list? And then when I go into my management software system, can quickly do a group update using that list of numbers?” 

The functionality doesn’t stop there though.  

Kelsy explains, “Some of our EID readers have the capability to scan barcodes, which is a really cool feature for producers that are using the TSU DNA samples.” 

Whether you have a current system that needs tweaking or are starting from scratch remember these considerations before you give cattle their IDs.  

Listen to the full conversation on the Casual Cattle Conversations podcast.