by Lee Raines, Elko Daily Press
Brands are one of the most interesting tools used by livestock people. Each brand is different from all the others and often conveys the character of its owner.
The origin of branding livestock dates from 2700 B.C. Paintings in Egyptian tombs document branding oxen with hieroglyphics. Ancient Greeks and Romans marked livestock and slaves with a hot iron. Hernando Cortez introduced branding from Spain to the New World in 1541. He brought cattle stamped with his mark of three crosses.
The original Spanish brands were, as a rule, complicated, and beautifully rich in design, but not always practical. The early American ranchers wanted more simple designs that were easy to remember, easily made, that did not blotch, and that were hard to alter.
Brands are recorded by state livestock agencies in many states. The agencies record ownership and the location where you place the brand on the animal. You may not register a particular brand if the same symbols and location have already been registered by someone else in your area. Horse brands and cattle brands are often registered separately. It is important not only to register a brand correctly but to keep it active. Like most registrations, brand registrations do expire.
The most popular locations for brands on horses are the left or right hip or the left or right shoulder. Other less common locations are ribs, stifles and jaws. Cattle are usually branded on hips and ribs.
BLM-gathered mustangs have multi-character freeze brands on the left side of their necks. Registered Arabian horses have the same type of brand on the right side of the neck. Thoroughbred horses have registration numbers tattooed under their upper lips.
Branding is very important in proving ownership of lost or stolen animals. An unbranded animal is called a “slick,” and is almost impossible to legally identify.
There has never been anything to take the place of a visible brand as a permanent definitive mark of ownership and deterrent to theft. Other methods, such as implanted computer chips are positive identification, if a new owner is aware of them, but hot or freeze brands are highly visible and hard to alter.
Done correctly, your brand will always bring your animals home. Livestock people say “a brand’s something that won’t come off in the wash.”
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