Laco tag marking pen (black)

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The wrong pen is the reason half the tags in a herd are unreadable by August. Ordinary markers fade in UV, run when they get wet, and wear off against a rail. A proper tag marking pen lays down ink meant to hold on plastic tags out in the weather. Black on a white or light tag is the most readable combination there is, and readability is the entire point. A number you can make out from the seat of the truck or across a feed alley saves you a walk every single time. Number your tags at the kitchen table before tagging day, not one at a time at the chute with cold hands. Write large, keep the strokes simple, and let the ink cure fully before you stack or bag the tags, since fresh ink smears the moment two tags rub together. Cap the pen properly every time, because these dry out quickly if left open, and store it inside rather than in a truck box where it freezes and thaws all winter. Keep a spare if you tag a lot of cattle.