Hog Wisdom

Ear Notching

     The images used below were modified from ones which appear at the website of the Department of Animal Science at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln; you may view them, in their original form, by clicking here.

1. We notch our hogs for the purpose of identification for two reasons. First, this form of
     identification is required by the Tamworth Swine Association. And second, because it is in
     many respects a more dependable method of identification than are ear tags which may
     become worn, dirty, or otherwise obscured.

2. Notches indicating litter number should be applied to the animal's right ear.

3. Notches indicating individual hog identifiers should be applied to the animal's left ear.

4. Each ear has four (five really, but we don't have the need to number that high) positions.
    Beginning from the bottom, in either ear, they are 1, 3, 9, and 27.

5. Each position may have two notches.

6. Sum the notch values for each ear and you've got your litter number and hog number.

7. We use a set of notch pliers with an adjustable depth gauge and a ½" v-shaped notch.

8. Like many things one does with newborns on the Farm, ear notching is best done when
    piglets are small. We ear notch on the second day.

    Like disbudding goat kids, ear notching was something we didn't much look forward to doing.
    In retrospect this was perhaps due to the anticipation of bleeding and discomfort on the part
    of the newborns. If notching is done early there is minimal or no bleeding. As soon as it's over
    the piglets are back on the Sow and don't seem to miss a beat.

Try to read these ...

A source for a good pair of ear notch pliers is NASCO Supply.

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