THE USE OF BRANDS AND OTHER MARKS ON 

 LIVESTOCK 



By Carnot Valiton 



Brands and other marks are still widely used to indicate the 

 ownership of range livestock on forests in the western range 

 country, and a general idea of the basis for such marks would 

 be of interest to those who are going to these forests, and a 

 general idea of the subject would aid in several ways. First 

 and not least comes the man's own satisfaction with the know- 

 ledge that he is in a position to tell anyone just what kind of a 

 "crazy-letter-number-bar" a certain bunch of cattle on a certain 

 range is carrying around. Secondly, his employer may have 

 a wider field of action for him, if he can make an accurate report 

 on the brands that are found on a certain range. On forests 

 where grazing fees equal timber-sale receipts, this second point 

 may be quite important. Third, the forester is better fitted to 

 mix well with the stock men since he is enabled to understand 

 more of their conversation and interests. 



There are five principal methods of marking livestock in use 

 in the western range country. The earmark is made by removing 

 a portion of the ear. The wattle and the dewlap are hanging 

 cylinders of hide, hair out, made by slicing the hide of the young 

 animal. Metal tags are used with registered stock in 2 few 

 cases; they are fastened on the inside of the ear of the animal. 

 Brands are of two kinds, painted and burned. The painted 

 brand is used on sheep, various colors of paint such as black or 

 blue being used, and are put on the sheared sheep with a wooden 

 brand or a brush. The burned brand is used on cattle and horses 

 and is made by applying a red-hot iron to the hide of the animal 

 till the hide and hair is killed in the desired outline or figure. 



The purpose of all brands and other marks on range livestock 

 is to show ownership. The principal use is to show which cattle 

 in a certain region belong to a certain owner, and to make pos- 

 sible the separation of mixed herds at the various round-ups. 

 These marks also serve, in some degree, to prevent the theft of 

 cattle and other livestock. Branded stock is made dangerous to 

 steal since the "rustler" has to alter the brand, dispose of the hides 



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