# Branding?



## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

Does anyone have any experience with branding their bulls and cows? I am not talking about a registered brand, rather an identification number.

We have always ear tagged to keep up with cows and calves. I hesitate to brand because of the stress or pain and risk of infection. We have a set of electric branding irons, thrown in on a liquidation purchase earlier this year.

How long does it take a brand to heal?

Is it worth the trouble?

Does anyone here have a registered brand or opinions on that?


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## Vol (Jul 5, 2009)

Never have iron branded beef but I have been around freeze branding horses....it worked extremely well for horses. Put the brand in a dark colored area and the hair comes back white.....as wimpy as horses are, beef would not skip a beat.

Regards, Mike


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## swmnhay (Jun 13, 2008)

Last fall was at a hay customers place and they were freeze branding some beef hfrs they were breeding.It didn't appear to bother the cattle much.But to get a good freeze brand they clipped the spot to be branded.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

Back when I was young(er) we hit cows and calves with the hot iorn then slap axcel greese. Peta (people eating tasty animals) would have us hanged by the toes today I bet!


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## wildcat (Oct 20, 2012)

I tried that once on some heifers I was turning out. It was with a electric set not the freeze brand type. It appears to me there is somewhat of a trick to them as far as the length of time you leave it on. If you leave it too long or not long enough it doesn't work very well. The trick is finding that correct length of time.


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## jeff outwest (Sep 13, 2009)

This is how we do it out west. It is a family and community social event most times. If you have any ropers in your area, put the word out and your place is an instant fairgrounds. Combine branding with castrating and vaccinating for a one time event for both humans and bovine. Hot iron brands are the only legal way to prove ownership in a lot of states. The stress and pain are more on the human than the animal. The humanizing or animals is starve the nation someday.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

We (my friends and I) worked our cattle on horses when I was a teen. That was the only way I could justify owning a horse. Dad thought they were useless unless pulling a plow.

I have a nice pen and a squeeze chute. Like many here I am mostly a one man show. In my reading on hot branding it seems holding the iron on for a three count is the norm.

There are three sets of irons. Each has three numbers. 6 and 9 are interchangeable.

One reason this has come up is that our tax accountant has asked that we permanently identify each animal. The state seems to be looking into the "farms" that are for tax purposes only. The state auditor agrees that I am indeed a legitimate farm. He also hinted that at some point I would most likely be audited.

Another reason is that I am missing two calves. That got me to thinking about how easy it is to remove ear tags. Would not help with calves since they will not be branded.


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## Nitram (Apr 2, 2011)

Tim I hold my dads brand V bar there are certain protocols on numbers and placement HERE. I would talk to your Vet I got the application form from them it had the procedures on it.


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## ForemanTX (May 7, 2012)

I have an electric brand,did have to register it in the counties going to have cattle in. Unlawful to use a brand not registered here,even if been in family for years,if lost the register,then someone else may be using it now. I have never had a branded cow get ill from it. I shave hair first,then hold for only about 3sec.,squeeze chute sure keeps them still so brand comes out good. I only brand and custom ear tag what going to keep, just use the cheap ear tags on anything going within the year. My dad ear notches and electric brand his, I don't like fooling with the ear notching, he has two on one ear, steer and heifer different ear I get them mixed up everytime, have to call and ask...


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I would have to get a farm/ranch brand approved before using that brand. What I want to do is number the momma cows and maybe the bulls. Numbering is not the same here as an ownership brand.

I had cows at 4 different pastures this past summer, two of them leased. I have everything on my two pastures for the winter. Easier to feed hay that way.

I was thinking about starting with 001,002,003 and go from there. It would be easier to see a brand than an ear tag, especially when you call them up for feed and their heads are in a trough.


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## Bonfire (Oct 21, 2012)

Have you seen this post?

http://www.haytalk.com/forums/topic/18196-freeze-branding/?hl=%2Bfreeze+%2Bbranding

I'll try to take pictures tomorrow to show what they look like a year later. 0713 didn't turn white but you can still see the outline.


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## Tim/South (Dec 12, 2011)

I remember the freeze branding thread. Those look nice and neat. I notice it took about two hours to brand your cows. I wonder how long it would take to hot brand?


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## Waterway64 (Dec 2, 2011)

We brand everything. We brand all our calves each year and it is much faster than a freeze brand. It's okay for proof of ownership but not for ID. Mel


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