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To tag a pig, two circular plastic disks stamped with the animal’s assigned number are fitted onto an applicator, which looks like a chunky pair of pliers with a pointed tip on one side. The “male” side of the tag has a pointed protrusion on the back, perhaps a half-inch long, that fits over the pointed side of the applicator; the “female” tag has a hole to receive the male end when the cartilaginous part of the ear is placed between either side of the applicator. The human holding it gives a hard, quick squeeze until the ear is pierced and the two disks snap together. That’s the easy part.
It took some time but Mark eventually lured Crystal into the barn, where he’d dumped some slop into a trough. Hot on her heels were all eight piglets; they streamed into the pen and dove into the slop while we shut the gate behind them. After Crystal had her fill we guided her back through the gate, using a large board to block the piglets from following. As soon as Crystal disappeared the piglets started complaining, running back and forth in the pen, squealing unhappily, but gradually they calmed down and returned to the trough.
Coming soon: the debut of the Reader‘s pig, which has no name as of yet.
