Buyers of Lleyn Sheep are now left in no doubt about the purity of the sheep they are now buying with the introduction of the green “Society Tag” The tag introduced for all lambs born in 2006 was optional for breeders to use “retired chairman John Geldard said he “was overwhelmed with the take up of the Society Tag, with well over 90% of Lleyn breeders taking the tag when they registered ewe lambs”

With a huge take up of the tag, the Lleyn Sheep Society has decided to make the Tag available again for 2007. So all ewe lambs at Society Sales this year will have a “white” tag in their right ear. The tag instantly identifies to purchasers that the sheep they are buying are pedigree registered Lleyn sheep. With this identification it should help buyers unintentionally buying non pure/registered Lleyn sheep.

Father & son team of Eifion & Dewi Ellis who run a 900 pure bred Lleyn flock in North Wales are 100% behind the new tagging system. “It is the way forward for the Lleyn. I’ve supported the idea from the start and I am convinced it’ll be a big help to purchasers who’ll know exactly what they are buying” says Efion.

The Society Tag is inserted in the ewe lamb’s right ear (from behind). Once the Society receives the ewe lambs registration details and payment this then triggers the production of the unique tag by the manufacturer, who cannot produce any tags without the prior instruction of the Society Office. Within days the tag is delivered to the breeder, the tag is then simply inserted in the ewe lambs right ear. The Society recommends registering ewe lambs early to avoid the summer heat and flies. “It also helps with the logistics as well” added Dai Morris, Society Chairman
“If you leave it until late summer to tag your ewe lambs you run the risk of causing a nasty infection around the tag which can be aggravated by flies” Dai added. If it is necessary to register and tag lambs in summer the Society recommends that breeders insert a dummy tag into the right ear in the spring. The dummy tag can then be cut out and the Society Tag inserted in that hole, this eliminates the need to pierce the flesh again. A small hole punched in the appropriate place in the right year would avoid the purchase of a dummy tag.
“Registration & tags are available in the year of birth at a cost of £1.50 plus VAT”

All rams that pass the Society inspection will carry an official breed Society yellow tag, which is inserted by the Society ram inspector when he passes the ram.

The Society request all breeders to take great care when tagging ewe lambs and observe hygienic precautions by sterilising all equipment before use, clean the ear with a sterilising / cleaning product, insert the tag trying to avoid any veins, once in, rotate the female tag round 360 degrees on the male tag to discard any pieces of flesh. Adjust to the correct hanging position. Keep the tags in a clean water tight box at all times. By following simple precautions it will help to eliminate the chance of any infections.

Who knows what 2007 will bring to the UK sheep industry, the Lleyn Sheep Society is looking to offer sheep breeders across the UK & Europe the opportunity to purchase registered pedigree Lleyn sheep. The Lleyn is the fastest growing breed of sheep in the UK. Farmers are impressed by its versatility to adapt too many situations, its tremendous mothering ability, milkiness & prolificy, coupled with being able to stock more Lleyn to the acre. It soon becomes apparent that the Lleyn is more profitable than many of its counterparts.