Innovative Livestock Identificationwith Enduro Tags

Dr. John Steinfort's testing tags 

Dr. John Steinfort, an innovator and veterinarian, is working to improve the field performance of livestock tags.

John Steinfort worked in private practice in South Gippsland, Victoria, for 20 years. It was in 1998, around the time when the MLA and NLIS were introducing electronic cattle tags for livestock traceability... “I saw the electronic tags in dairy cattle and saw how tags are lost, & I thought if we require national traceability then surely we would require other tag designs that would enhance lifetime traceability and long-term stock identification.". So it was from this point that John sent out to see if you could innovate a new tagging system for all livestock species to maximize

Long-term retention through design and durable plastics. Enduro Tags was founded in 2015, and our unique cattle and sheep management and NLIS tags were manufactured & commercialized in Australia. Since that time, livestock producers seeking an improved tagging system have turned to Enduro Tags.

An efficient tagging system begins with the quality of the tags, encompassing material molding, design, and ease of application. Tagging livestock can be arduous, and a user-friendly applicator is essential. Additionally, tag losses are a significant concern, as lost tags mean lost identification and the tedious task of re-tagging animals. Enduro Tags addresses these issues with their innovative designs. We developed our Combo 30 Enduro NLIS cattle tag and management tags to maximize retention. We achieve a significant retention rate through a combination of plastic material composition and the tag design. The Nylon male tag is a double-pin back tag and is highly durable, and evidence shows it has been highly functional in the field for 12 years. This ensures long-term retention with loss rates of 1% or less per annum, according to our producer feedback.

While the double-prong tag system offered by Enduro Tags ensures excellent long-term single-prong retention and visibility, it may not suit every farmer's needs. Traditional button tags have been with us for decades, but innovation often brings superior alternatives.

John Steinfort at Enduro Tags is developing a new range of single-prong tags featuring a unique design. Steinfort notes, “We proved this technology by providing over 15,000 of our special goat tags to a local Gippsland dairy goat herd, reducing their tag loss from

30% to 0.5% per annum, with no infected ears. That’s a very significant outcome.”

Our hardback nylon tags don’t rely upon flexibility like the button tag types. Rather, our tags are reasonably rigid plastic and have to be without catch points. Hence our unique design and patented 180° semi-circular junction where the stem meets the main body of the tag without an overhang.

(Refer to the photos.). Overhangs or lips are seen on sheep tags, where the stem and the main tag body meet. This provides a catch point and can cause tag losses and ear rips from tag losses from self-feeders, mesh gates, or ringlock fencing.

Enduro Cattle Clip Tags 

Our Enduro Clip Tags work via no catch points on the male tags and through 180° no overhang around the stem junction. If wires or obstacles connect with the male back tag, the tag itself just simply rotates and moves out of the way of the obstructing object. It’s very simple now and easily proven by utilizing and testing against mesh fencing. However, it took many years of research to fully develop the design.

“You will often see the male back tag facing towards the base of the ear in cattle in the tag.

Enduro eID Clip Tag for sheep and goats (Available mid-2025)

Challenging environments such as scrub or forested country. This occurs from the tag shifting its pivotal position through rotation." Steinfort continues, “Our new emerging technology is different. It’s not another ‘button’ type tag. We utilize our field-proven plastics, which provide a hardback tag without any catch points. Now that’s hard to believe, I know.”.

Enduro Tags is adapting this technology for all livestock species, with plans to launch these products throughout 2025. The potential benefits for livestock producers are significant. Steinfort adds, “And best of all, these clip tags are easier to apply, especially to cattle, compared to button tags, because of the harder plastic and patented cutting edges. Making it a beneficial new product for livestock welfare, producers, Enduro Tags, and the local Australian economy.” Enduro Tags continues to lead the way in innovative livestock identification, offering solutions that enhance efficiency, reliability, and overall ease of use for farmers.