To attach an ear tag (6, 10) to an ear (16) and to remove a sample (22) containing tissue of the ear therefrom, a mandrel (8), which is fastened to a mandrel region (6) of the ear tag, is brought by means of pliers (1) on a first movement path through the ear (16) into a hole (12) formed in a hole part (10) of the ear tag and anchored there, while the sample (22) is taken with the aid of a removal head (17) and is brought out of engagement with the hole (12) by interaction with the mandrel (8) with a movement component oriented transversely to the first movement path, before the mandrel (8) is anchored in said hole.

An attachment tool for an animal tag is disclosed. The attachment tool includes a first tag interface that mates with a male portion of the animal tag, and a second tag interface that mates with a female portion of the animal tag. The first tag interface and the second tag interface dispose the male portion of the tag in an aligned and opposing relationship with the female portion of the tag while the male portion of the tag is mounted on the first tag interface and the female portion of the tag is mounted on the second tag interface. An arm extends adjacent the first tag interface to at least the second tag interface and the second tag interface is disposed on the arm. A guard extends outward proximate the first tag interface toward the second tag interface. A distal portion of the guard and an opposing structure of the arm proximate the second tag interface define a gap therebetween, the gap extending into a region between the first tag interface and the second tag interface. A drive moves the male portion of the animal tag disposed on the first tag interface towards the female portion of the tag disposed on the second tag interface to connect the male portion with the female portion.

The invention relates to a unit for marking and/or sampling animal tissue, including a male portion (12) for marking and/or sampling tissue, and a female portion (13) for marking and/or receiving said tissue. According to the invention, such a unit includes an intermediate element (14) for connecting said male and female portions together, said intermediate connection element (14) having a first portion (141) for rigidly connecting to said male portion and a second portion (192) for rigidly connecting to said female portion, enabling said male and female portions to be supported along a single marking and/or sampling axis (AA1) before marking and/or sampling said animal tissue, wherein the intermediate connection element is releasable.

An applicator for animal identification tags comprises a tag magazine receiver configured to receive a tag magazine comprising a reservoir for holding a plurality of discrete animal identification tags, each comprising a male and female engagement portion, and an opening, wherein the identification tags are displaceable along the reservoir to be sequentially dispensed through the opening. A pair of jaws engage male and female portions of a dispensed identification tag through the ear of an animal placed between the jaws. A motorized tag dispenser displaces the identification tags along the reservoir of a received tag magazine to sequentially dispense the identification tags through the opening. A sensor senses information indicative that an identification tag has been dispensed through the opening and received by the pair of jaws. A controller stops operation of the motorized tag dispenser based on an output of the sensor.

Systems, methods, and devices directed to a button and corresponding applicator for an animal identification tag are provided. The applicator is employed to attach a button-tag assembly to the ear of an animal. The button includes a solid core embedded in the body of the button as well as a bladed edge at the tip of the core.

Methods and device for marking animals are disclosed. An ear tag configurable for attachment to a rodent ear, e.g., a mouse ear, is presented, wherein the ear tag includes a color-coded image, an alphanumeric character string, a bar code and/or a visual signage. The tag may include the visual identifier and an RFID device. A card may be provided that redundantly displays some or all of the visual identifier. An applicator is alternately or additionally provided that removes separated elements of the tag from a tray force generated by manual compression of a pair of handles of the applicator, and additionally includes jaws that compress towards each other when the handles are initially compressed, yet splay and release the tag elements as additional compressive force is applied to the handles.

An animal health monitoring system includes a plurality of animal tag assemblies configured for being disposed on members of an animal population, each of the animal tag assemblies including one or more sensors configured to measure one or more animal characteristics of a member of the animal population. The system includes a concentrator communicatively coupled to the plurality of animal tag assemblies and configured to acquire one or more animal characteristics from the plurality of animal tag assemblies. The system includes a controller communicatively coupled to the concentrator and configured to receive the acquired one or more animal characteristics from the plurality of animal tag assemblies from the concentrator, determine a health state of one or more of the members of the animal population based on the received one or more animal characteristics and report the determined health state to one or more user devices.

A hand-held device (100) for applying a tag (116, 118) to animals and extracting animal tissue, comprising: a first handle (106); a second handle (108); a first jaw portion (101) configured to engage a first portion (116) of an animal tag and an animal tissue sampler (174) for extracting animal tissue; and a second jaw portion (103) configured to engage a second portion (118) of the animal tag and a container (1181) for storing animal tissue; wherein displacing the first handle (106) in a closing direction to an engaging position causes the first portion (116) of the animal tag to engage the second portion (118) of the animal tag; and wherein displacing the first handle (106) in the closing direction to a disposing position causes the animal tissue sampler (174) to be disposed within the container (1181). A loadable biasing member (1806) causes some energy to be pre-emptively stored and released to help overcome a large resistance to allow tissue sampler (174) to pierce an animal's flesh and be disposed within container (1181).

Methods and device for marking animals are disclosed. An ear tag configurable for attachment to a rodent ear, e.g., a mouse ear, is presented, wherein the ear tag includes a color-coded image, an alphanumeric character string, a bar code and/or a visual signage. The tag may include the visual identifier and an RFID device. A card may be provided that redundantly displays some or all of the visual identifier. An applicator is alternately or additionally provided that removes separated elements of the tag from a tray force generated by manual compression of a pair of handles of the applicator, and additionally includes jaws that compress towards each other when the handles are initially compressed, yet splay and release the tag elements as additional compressive force is applied to the handles.

One variation of a system includes a tag including a panel defining an inner face; an outer face opposite the inner face and comprising a digital optical identifier; and a set of perforations interposed between the digital optical identifier and a perimeter of the panel; a tag housing molded around the perimeter of the panel and through the set of perforations in the panel; defining a body supporting the inner face of the panel; defining a rim extending from the body, encasing an edge of the panel; extending through the set of perforations in the panel; and extending over the set of perforations in the panel; and a barb extending from the body opposite the rim; a backing plate configured to receive the barb of the tag housing; and an applicator configured to drive the barb through an ear of an animal and into the backing plate.