Data

Collection

All the notches from the books will be digitized to the website but we are collecting data about the current practice, to help protect and update the cultural information from being lost over time. Over 2026, we aim to bring this tradition into the digital age by creating an interactive online platform where people can search for different types of earmarks, location, understand their meaning, and learn about the cultural history of the practice. By collecting accurate and detailed data, we will be able to build a website that not only protects the ear notching tradition but also makes it easier for future generations to engage with it, research it and use it. This project aims to honor the past while providing a modern space for the information. We would appreciate it if you could complete this form and return it to: Welsh Mountain Sheep Socety, Cefn Lleuar, Llanllyfni, Caernarfon, Gwynedd LL54 6ST Or fill in this Interactive form which will be sent straight to the Society. The hope is to create a section on this website where notches can be searched and filtered, there will be a section of notches that are live and a section of characters that are now archived. It will also be possible to request a ear notch if you are starting farming and want to use them. The notches from the books will all be digitized from the book to the website with the name of the farm, we are investigating to see which ones are still 'alive'.