Abstract: An animal tag applicator (1) has handles (2) and (3) pivotally connected together and extending to respective jaws (6) and (7) for dispensing an ear tag (10) to be engaged about an animal's ear (39). The tags (10) are in the form of an elongate, longitudinally connected, strip which can be accommodated within the hollow handle (2). A slider (17) has a pusher (18) engaged with the front-most tag (10A) to move it into the dispensing position where its male portion is engaged by the top jaw (7) and a cutting means (31) severs the connection between the front-most tag (10A) and the immediately following tag. A releasable stop member (42) engages the front-most tag (10A) before it is dispensed. A lost motion slot (43) enables the cutting means (31) to be raised before the pusher (18) engages with the next tag (10) to move it into the dispensing position.

Abstract: An animal tag applicator (1) has a rear body portion (4) slidable forwardly over a front body portion (3) to load a frontmost tag (10) between first and second jaws (7), (8) from a strip of tags (not shown) accommodated longitudinally within a chamber defined by the body portions (3), (4). Operation of a handle (5) against its bias (12) can then effect a tagging operation after which further forward movement of the body portion (4) will re-load the applicator (1) ready for the next tagging operation.