6 Non-Toxic Livestock Marking Paints Old Farmers Swear By

You’ve just separated the ewes that need their hooves trimmed, but ten minutes later, they’ve mingled back into the flock. Now you can’t remember which is which. A simple, safe mark could have saved you an hour of frustration and stress—for both you and the animals. Choosing the right livestock marking paint isn’t just about convenience; it’s about animal welfare, effective management, and protecting the value of products like wool. A non-toxic, purpose-built marker is one of the most underrated tools on a small farm.

Disclosure: As an Amazon Associate, this site earns from qualifying purchases. Thank you!

All-Weather Paintstik for General Purpose Use

This is the workhorse of livestock markers. Think of an All-Weather Paintstik as a giant, rugged crayon designed specifically for animals. It’s a solid stick of paint that you can throw in your pocket and have ready for any quick job, from sorting goats for sale to marking a chicken with a minor injury for observation.

Its biggest advantage is its simplicity and durability. The paint is non-toxic and designed to stay on through rain, sun, and mud for several weeks, depending on the coat of the animal. You apply it directly to the animal’s back or side with firm pressure. It’s perfect for temporary identification without the hassle of ear tags or the permanence of a tattoo.

The main tradeoff is application on dense fleece. For sheep with thick, greasy wool, you really have to work the stick in to make a lasting mark. It’s also not formulated to be scourable, so avoid using it on the main body of a fleece you intend to sell. For general sorting and short-term management on cattle, pigs, or goats, however, it’s hard to beat.

Raidex Marking Crayons for Sheep and Goats

If you raise sheep for wool, the word "scourable" should be part of your vocabulary. Raidex marking crayons are specifically formulated to wash out of wool during the cleaning process, known as scouring. Using a non-scourable paint on a prime fleece is like spilling motor oil on it—you’ve just ruined its value.

These crayons are most famously used in marking harnesses fitted to rams or bucks during breeding season. You start with a light color (like yellow) for the first two weeks. Any ewe marked with yellow has been bred. Then you swap to a darker color (green or red) for the next cycle. This system gives you a clear, visual record of your breeding program, helping you identify infertile animals and predict lambing dates with surprising accuracy.

While they can be used by hand, their real power is in a harness. The crayons come in different temperature grades (cold, mild, hot) to prevent them from getting too hard or soft in your climate. For any serious shepherd, having a set of Raidex crayons and a harness is non-negotiable for efficient breeding management.

Prima-Shot Aerosol for Fast, Distant Marks

Sometimes you need to mark an animal you can’t easily catch. Maybe it’s a cow in a large pasture that needs to be culled or a few sheep in a flock you want to separate later. This is where an aerosol marker like Prima-Shot comes in. It allows you to place a bright, visible mark from a distance of several feet.

The key here is speed and safety. You can sort animals as they move through a gate or across a field without the stress of running them through a chute. The paint is non-toxic and formulated to be safe if animals lick it. The upside-down spray nozzle is a smart design feature, making it easy to aim and apply from a natural standing position.

Of course, it’s not as precise as a paint stick. Wind can affect your aim, and the spray can startle flighty animals. It’s also not designed for longevity; think of it as a tool for tasks that will be completed within a few days. For quick sorting in an open area, it’s an invaluable time-saver.

FIL Tell-Tail Brush-On for Heat Detection

This is a highly specialized tool, primarily for cattle, but the principle is brilliant. FIL Tell-Tail is a vibrant, oil-based paint that you apply with the bottle’s built-in brush. You paint a single, thick strip over the cow’s tailhead, right on her spine above her tail.

Here’s how it works: when a cow is in standing heat, she will allow other cows (or a bull) to mount her. The friction from the mounting activity rubs the paint off. A quick daily check of your herd tells you everything you need to know. If the paint is rubbed or completely gone, she is ready to be bred. It’s a nearly foolproof system for timing artificial insemination or confirming a bull’s activity.

This isn’t a general-purpose marker. It’s specifically designed to be easily removed by friction, so it won’t last for other identification purposes. But for managing a breeding program for a small herd of dairy or beef cattle, it’s an incredibly effective, low-stress method that removes a ton of guesswork.

LA-CO Twist-Stik for All-Temperature Use

At first glance, the LA-CO Twist-Stik looks a lot like the All-Weather Paintstik. It’s a solid marker in a plastic, twist-up dispenser. The crucial difference, however, is its formulation for extreme temperatures. If you’ve ever had a marker get rock-hard and useless in freezing weather or turn to mush on a hot summer day, you’ll appreciate what this one does.

The LA-CO marker is designed to maintain a consistent, usable texture from well below freezing to over 100°F. This reliability is key for farms in climates with dramatic seasonal shifts. The twist-up mechanism also helps keep your hands clean and protects the paint stick from breaking in your pocket.

Like its general-purpose cousins, it’s great for sorting, pairing, or identifying treated animals. It’s a non-toxic paint that lasts for weeks and works on wet or dry hides. Consider it a premium, more reliable version of the standard paint stick, especially if you find yourself doing livestock work in the dead of winter or the peak of summer.

Homemade Turmeric Paste: A Natural Option

For the purist or the farmer in a pinch, you can’t get more non-toxic than a simple kitchen spice. A thick paste made from turmeric powder and a binder like coconut oil or lard creates a vibrant, temporary yellow marker. It’s completely edible, safe for all animals, and costs next to nothing.

This is the perfect solution for very short-term, sensitive applications. Use it to mark a newborn lamb you need to check on later in the day, or a doe you’ve just given medication to. Because it’s so gentle, it’s ideal for marking near the face or on very young animals where you want to avoid any commercial products.

The major, unavoidable drawback is its lack of durability. A single good rainstorm will wash it right off. It will also fade in a day or two from simple rubbing. This is not a tool for marking animals and turning them out to pasture for a week. It’s a "today" marker, but for that purpose, it’s a fantastic, all-natural option to have in your back pocket.

Proper Application for Weather Resistance

How you apply the mark is just as important as which marker you choose. A poorly applied mark will disappear in a day, wasting your time and the product. The goal is to get the paint through the outer hair and onto the lower part of the coat or skin, where it can adhere properly.

For paint sticks and crayons, always try to apply against the natural lay of the hair or wool. This forces the pigment down into the coat. Make your marks bold and clear—a single, thick 4-6 inch line is far more visible and durable than a faint scribble. The best location is high on the back, hip, or shoulder, where it’s less likely to be rubbed off on fences or feeders. Always apply to a dry animal if you can; while many markers work on wet coats, they adhere much better to a dry surface.

Scourability: Ensuring Easy Wool Removal

This point cannot be overstated for anyone with fiber animals, especially sheep. Scourable paint is specifically engineered to dissolve and wash away during the wool scouring process, which uses hot water and soap to clean raw fleece. Non-scourable paints, lacquers, or household paints act as a permanent contaminant.

A single fleece contaminated with non-scourable paint can ruin a much larger batch at the mill. For this reason, many wool buyers will reject entire lots if they see evidence of improper marking. It renders the wool commercially worthless. When buying a marker for your sheep, the first thing you should look for on the label is the word "scourable."

Products like Raidex are the industry standard for a reason. They provide a clear mark for your management purposes but don’t compromise the final product your sheep work all year to produce. Never assume a marker is scourable; if it doesn’t say so on the package, assume it is not.

Ultimately, the best livestock marker is the one that fits the job, the animal, and your climate. There’s no single perfect solution, only the right tool for the task at hand. By understanding the difference between a scourable breeding crayon and a weatherproof sorting stick, you can manage your animals more effectively, humanely, and profitably.