CHAPTER VII 



BRANDING AND MARKING 



The branding of cattle is such a simple operation as 

 to need very little elaboration in the way of explanation 

 or instruction. The difficult part of the operation is 

 usually to catch and hold the animals. On the open 

 range this is usually done by roping by the neck and by 

 the hind legs. Then, by pulling in opposite directions, 

 the animal is thrown and stretched out in the position 

 that it is impossible for him to make much of a struggle 

 when the iron is applied. This method has the advantage 

 of requiring no corrals or chutes, but is slow ; and is hard 

 on both the calves and the horses. It also requires some 

 skill in roping, although if the operator is used to handling 

 a rope, it may be about as easy to get the rope on as to get 

 it off. Considerable branding is done by a method that 

 is similar except that a stout corral and a snubbing post 

 are used. The animal is roped by the neck or horns and 

 snubbed to the post in the center of the corral. Then a 

 rope is put on the hind legs, usually by throwing it over 

 the rump when the animal can be made to move around 

 a little so that he will soon step into the rope. Then with 

 a flirt and a quick jerk the rope is dropped down around 

 the hind legs and drawn tight. By a strong pull with a 

 horse, the hind legs are pulled from under the animal and 

 he is thrown and held while being branded. This method 



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