108 Western Live-stock Management 



BRAND LAWS AND INSPECTION 



In most states brands must be registered with some 

 authorized state official before they can be recognized as 

 any proof of ownership. Duplication of brands is not 

 allowed ; that is, every man in the state must have a differ- 

 ent brand. Cattle-men running stock close to the state 

 boundary usually have their brands recorded in both 

 states. The details of brand registration vary with the 

 different states and furthermore may be changed from 

 time to time. Exact information for any state may 

 be obtained from the agricultural college, the state veteri- 

 narian, or any prominent stockman. 



Nearly all western states have laws requiring the in- 

 spection of the brands of cattle shipped out of the state. 

 The inspection is usually made at the point of shipment 

 and a permanent record is kept of all branded cattle 

 shipped. Of course the details of inspection vary in 

 the different states. In addition to these local inspectors, 

 the state cattle-men's association commonly employ 

 salaried brand inspectors at the large market centers to 

 inspect the brands of all cattle shipped from the territory 

 of their association. Sometimes in the smaller markets, 

 two or more states combine to employ an inspector. 

 While these inspectors are in private employ, state laws 

 usually give them certain police authority and allow them 

 t9 stop payment on any stock when the ownership is 

 questionable. The object of brand inspection is to dis- 

 courage stealing, to make prosecution easier where theft 

 has occurred, and to aid in the restoration of strays. The 

 inspection at the large market centers is usually very 

 thorough, but that done by local inspectors at the shipping 

 points is not always so carefully or so competently per- 

 formed. 



