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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