Which practice involves notching ears for hogs?

• A. Ear tagging
• B. Ear notching
• C. Ear clipping
• D. Branding

Answer: (B)

Notching ears in hogs is a permanent identification method. It involves removing small, deliberate shapes from the ear with a notching tool to create a unique pattern that codes litter information and individual pig identity. Because the marks are carved into the ear, they stay readable for life and don’t rely on devices that can be lost or damaged. This distinguishes it from ear tagging (a tag attached to the ear), ear clipping (removing a portion of the ear for non-coding purposes), and branding (marking the hide with a hot or cold iron). So, the practice that involves notching ears is ear notching.