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Notches and holes cut in a pattern into an animal's ears.
Also known as: Earmark, Sheep smit and lug mark, Ear notch mark, Notches cut in an ear
An earmark is a pattern of notches and punches cut into a sheep's ears, and the pattern is a farm's registered identity — historically recorded in shepherds' guides listing every farm's mark in a district. It predates tagging by centuries and persists alongside it.
Denotes a registered pattern of notches, punches and slits cut into livestock ears to identify ownership.
Contexts: Maps
Was recorded in printed shepherds' guides listing each farm's mark within a district, so a stray could be returned by reading its ears.
Contexts: Maps
Uses a named vocabulary — cropped, punched, forked, slit, bitted — that combines into a mark, so the pattern is a compound rather than a single sign.
Contexts: Maps
Persists alongside modern tagging in upland farming, where tags are lost to fences and vegetation.
Contexts: Maps
A pattern of V-shaped notches, round punched holes and straight slits cut into the edges and body of an animal's ear.