206 Western Live-stock Management 



been inserted. The punch can be used for marking sheep 

 where a system of ear notching is used. 



Branding stamp and iron. 



On the farm it is sometimes desirable to mark sheep so 

 that they may be easily identified. The commonest 

 practice is the use of a branding paint or fluid which is 



applied with a branding stamp. 

 Such a stamp can be very 

 easily made out of a block of 

 wood and a piece of leather. 



Fig. 24. — Branding Stamp. A block of WOod about foiU" 



inches in diameter and eight 

 inches long is cut out so as to form a handle with a 

 disk at one end. Any figure or letter can be cut out of 

 leather and tacked on to the disk. Several thicknesses of 

 leather are used so as to make a total thickness of not 

 less than half an inch. Nothing but standard branding 

 fluid should be used with such a system of marking, be- 

 cause of, the damage of permanent paint to the wool. 

 Since the stamped brand lasts only until shearing, many 

 farmers prefer the use of a hot iron branding on the nose 

 of the animal, or on the horn in the case of such breeds 

 as carry horns. Such brands, of com'se, are of a perma- 

 nent nature. 



Trochar and canula. 



This instrument is used in giving relief to sheep that 

 are sufPering from bloat and is much better for this 

 purpose than the pocket-knife. It consists of a 

 sharp-pointed steel (the trochar) which fits inside of a 

 metal tube or sheath (the canula). When used, the point 

 of the combined instrument is pushed through the skin 



