# Tattooing adult goats



## Josie (Oct 26, 2007)

Anyone have tattoos fade out? 

I was checking everyone last week and my 2yr old doe seems to have lost her tattoos. :? She has dark ears, I even shined a light from behind them, but they seem to have completely disappeared. My other goats still have their tattoos. 

I've never tattooed an adult and suspect it will be fun. (not) Any words of advice?


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## helmstead (Jun 19, 2009)

Put her in the stanchion and redo it. Yep, some tattoo's fade. Depends on how well it was done to begin with, which ink was used, etc.


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Make sure you use a very strong light. If a judge or appraiser finds even the slightest hint of an old tattoo, which they will look for with fresh tattoos in an older goat...you can't get her appraised or take your win. To be safe I would turn my paperwork in for a retattoo. Faded or not done, I have 3 in my barn that are yearlings that weren't done  Use your milking stand and have someone hold her head and when you press the tattoo pliers into the ear, hold on tight, do not let her jerk it out of your hand and ruin that tattoo again. Use green paste only, they simply don't fade, even in black eared does. Vicki


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## fmg (Jul 4, 2011)

Maybe you should check her in the dark. I wasn't sure if one of my dark-eared goats had a tattoo...and I didn't see anything in the daylight with shining the flashlight through, but I did the same at night, and it showed up then.


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## LamanchaLover (Jan 11, 2010)

I had a LM doe with a pink tail. The people who tattooed her used green paste, but it faded after 2 years. :/


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

Then they didn't bury the tips into the skin good enough. It's why I don't recommend anyone to get tattoo pliers with ear releases on them, it gives that thin peice of metal less in deapth you would have if it didn't have that release in there. I also file the tips of my digits so they aren't as sharp, you want a thick round hole so paste can really penetrate the ear/tail. I also use a tooth brush to push the paste into the holes and then cover the whole thing in talc/corn starch. Vicki


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## Josie (Oct 26, 2007)

fmg said:


> Maybe you should check her in the dark. I wasn't sure if one of my dark-eared goats had a tattoo...and I didn't see anything in the daylight with shining the flashlight through, but I did the same at night, and it showed up then.


 Thanks for the suggestion, I did recheck and they really are gone. Several yrs ago I used the roll-on green ink and I think she may have been one of those kids. Will redo with the paste but am not looking forward to it. 


Vicki McGaugh Tx Nubians said:


> Make sure you use a very strong light. If a judge or appraiser finds even the slightest hint of an old tattoo, which they will look for with fresh tattoos in an older goat...you can't get her appraised or take your win. To be safe I would turn my paperwork in for a retattoo. Faded or not done, I have 3 in my barn that are yearlings that weren't done  Use your milking stand and have someone hold her head and when you press the tattoo pliers into the ear, hold on tight, do not let her jerk it out of your hand and ruin that tattoo again. Use green paste only, they simply don't fade, even in black eared does. Vicki


Great point. I didn't see any old tattoo, but better safe than sorry for sure. Will definitely follow up with ADGA. And will only be using paste from now on!!


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## helmstead (Jun 19, 2009)

LOL We bought those ear-release pliers...and after using them a few times, I had my husband Dremmel the release function off. You can tell they don't get a good enough 'bite' because of the extra metal. Wish someone had told me in the beginning LOL but they work great now. Great tip, too, on blunting the tips...


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## Halo-M Nubians (Oct 26, 2007)

I think I am in the minority as I love the ear release. I have a set with and one without and wish I had gotten the second with. I am a pretty buff gal tho and don't hold back so they bleed like crazy and I really grind the ink in after. I had to do two 2 year olds before appraisal, by myself, and it was a rodeo but I don't think I could have done it without the release, without that clean pop out I think the thrashing would have ruined the tatts for sure. I now swear I will tattoo when I disbud...I swear!! LOL!


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## tlcnubians (Jan 21, 2011)

Mishael - I've used the ear-release tattoo pliers forever also and wouldn't use anything else. Press the pliers into the ear, peel the ear off the tattoo digits, apply ink and scrub in with a toothbrush. Our girls' ears can be read without a flashlight, the judges always say how easy they are to see. One thing I do try to make sure of is to place the tattoo pretty high up inside the ear where it doesn't get much light shed on it.


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## Halo-M Nubians (Oct 26, 2007)

I will share something Karen Senn told us yesterday at an appraisal session when the tattoo discussion came up. She said even after all these years the lamancha tail tatts have been a challenge and she thinks they finally have something awesome that you can even see easily when the goat is walking away from you. I may try it on ears just for a fun comparison. She said they put the thinner roll on green ink on the skin first..tattoo then apply the green paste. She doesn't know why its all that different but that is has made an incredible difference.


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