EID keeps your sheep moving in the yards

Dubbo district sheep grazier Will Martel has been tagging sheep for more than two decades. Five years ago, he switched to TagFaster electronic tags from Datamars Livestock — a decision driven by what works reliably in everyday yard conditions.

“When there are a lot of things that can go wrong on a sheep farm — too hot, too cold, too wet, too dry — it’s important to have a tag that stays in,” Martel says. “It’s one less thing to worry about.”

Retention was a key factor in his decision. He points to the hinge design as helping reduce breakage during busy handling periods.

“They’re less likely to break,” he says. “And the TagFaster applicator only takes a couple of seconds to load strips of 20 tags, so you’re straight back into tagging.”

That speed makes a difference when sheep are flowing through the yards. By allowing multiple tags to be applied without stopping to reload after each animal, the TagFaster system helps maintain momentum during marking and larger yard runs.

As electronic identification becomes part of routine sheep management, many producers are looking beyond the tag itself and considering how identification fits into day‑to‑day operations. Rather than treating EID as a standalone task, Datamars’ approach links tagging equipment with readers, weighing and drafting systems like Prattley, and flock management software so information moves with the animal.

Tagged and scanned in the yards, EID numbers are captured and transferred into the Datamars Pro app, where individual animal records can be viewed in one place. Treatment history, weight performance, and breeding outcomes — including which ewes consistently rear twins — become easier to track, helping turn identification into a practical management tool.

For producers who prefer a single‑shot application, Datamars offers an alternative tagging option — the FET tags and tagger — delivering the same retention and readability while allowing flexibility in yard workflows. For Martel, the calculation is straightforward.

“I’d recommend Z Tags,” he says. “They just work in the yards.”

Why a complete EID ecosystem matters

Sheep EID becomes far more manageable when the entire workflow is considered, not just the tag. A complete ecosystem allows producers to tag sheep, scan them, and view animal information in one place — eliminating manual double‑handling and workarounds. Yard work is faster, reads are more reliable, and records stay cleaner.

The practical payoffs are simple: faster yard work, more reliable reads, and cleaner records — turning EID into something that supports everyday management rather than slowing it down.

Website: https://au.livestock.datamars.com/