Branding Feeders

[GusPeterson]

I was talking to an order buyer yesterday, and he asked me if I've been branding my calves, I told him I did, and he recommended that I don't brand because they will get price docked when I turn around and sell them. I'm all about making more money, but I also like having my brand on in case of them crawling fences, getting stolen, or just someone buying them and being able to track them back to my place. Maybe it could bring future businesses without the commission of sale barns. My question is how much per cwt do you think they will dock if I keep on branding them?

 

[SBMF 2015]

Probably depends a lot on the size and location of the brand. If your branding in the middle of the 2/3's of the animal (from nose to tail head) then some day the tanners will have to trim around the brand and not have as big a peace of leather.
I freeze brand. No hide damage if done right, hard to alter because it takes time to grow out.
Talk to some packed buyers at your local sale barn. Ask them how much they discount branded finished cattle.

 

[callmefence]

My understanding is it's 10-20 bucks per head.
We don't generally brand calves if I find them new enough to get my hands on them I notch the left ear with my pocket knife and snap a picture.
I did just brand 16 weaned calves that are going on some leased pasture while the waters hopefully clear up. I just touched them real light , a hair brand. Seemed like a good idea. ..idk

 

[Dave]

100% of the calves around here get branded. Our prices are as high or higher than the rest of the country. some older cows who got sold several times will look like someone had writing lessons on their hide.

Hide prices aren't a big part of the equation any more. I just had a heifer butchered here by farm slaughter. I told the butcher that he could just put the gut etc in the bucket of my tractor and I would take them out to the bone yard for the coyotes and birds. I was surprised when he put the hide in. He told me that he had to pay to have the hide hauled off. There use to be pretty good value in hides.

 

[Bigfoot]

I have noticed the young people's shoes are mostly cloth nowadays. I wonder if that makes a difference? I do know if you work with leather (3 friends are saddle makers), quality leather is extremely expensive.

I didn't start too many years number branding heifers, before they go out to pasture. This was the first year I applied my registered brand as well. I've never branded calves, so no input on decreased value.

 

[Brute 23]

I use the ear tags with your brand and phone number on every thing from bulls to calves. We brand the cows. The tags probably wont help with theft but I dont think brands stop that either. It's all mainly for record keeping and helping if they get mixed with the neighbors cattle.

 

[Silver]

I quit branding my calves several years ago. I brand my replacements as yearlings. I did not see a premium for my unbranded calves, nor did I expect one. I had other reasons for not branding.
I do think it's important here to have the cows and bulls branded as they cover some area and it does make sorting from the neighbours cattle a little easier. My bulls at this time are all sourced from places they could walk home to, so my brand on them gives me a little piece of mind.

 

[Lucky]

We started branding our feeders 3 years ago. We keep them on a FM road and I think it might make someone think twice before they stole them and if they do get stolen at least the SWCRA has something to go on. We used to ear notch like fence but stopped doing that when we started branding. We always ear tag with a odd color I don't think the neighbors will be using. I have not noticed a price difference since branding but it does make me wonder.

 

[Dave]

We branded some calves yesterday, including my 20 and some belonging to B's hired man. We are both relative new comers to Oregon. The state changed things about their brands. Any new brands they want three figures. Both of us went through about 15 ideas before one was approved. These brands end up being so big they cover half the calf.

My brand is E/D (it is actually a lazy D) on the right rib. It is 6 3/4 inches wide and 6 inches tall. Takes up the better part of the rib. When the calf grows up you will be able to read it from half a mile away.

 

[snoopdog]

We hot brand, for positive identification.

 

[Lucky]

I looked at a set of 3yo red angus a few years back that supposedly came off a reservation in South Dakota as bred heifers. These cattle had brands like Dave describes, big and you could tell they were fire brands. Only cattle I've seen with brands like that.

 

[Dave]

I looked at a set of 3yo red angus a few years back that supposedly came off a reservation in South Dakota as bred heifers. These cattle had brands like Dave describes, big and you could tell they were fire brands. Only cattle I've seen with brands like that.

When you brand them as little calves the brand grows as they do. For some reason this seems to be more evident with rib or shoulder brands. And having a big brand to start with certainly contributes.

 

[76 Bar]

Apologies for hijacking the thread.

We are both relative new comers to Oregon. The state changed things about their brands. Any new brands they want three figures.

We relocated from CA to Oregon in 2016 and have been frustrated trying to get a brand approved. Spouse was an inspector in CA so not naive. Sent in some 20 versions/locations and have yet to get an OK. Have checked the brand book before submission so many times I darned near have it committed to memory. Response from ODOA why they were rejected has been less than helpful. Any tips? PM me if you think thats a better route.

 

[Brute 23]

I looked at a set of 3yo red angus a few years back that supposedly came off a reservation in South Dakota as bred heifers. These cattle had brands like Dave describes, big and you could tell they were fire brands. Only cattle I've seen with brands like that.

Ya we bought some cows that had 3 big letters on the ribs like that. It was easy to see. I'm not sure if it was because it was on the rib or because it was a good branding job. I tried to talk myself in to doing it like that but never could go thru with it.

I use the big numbers and letters on yearling replacement heifers. By the time we get a 3 letter brand on top, 3 digit number below that, the one digit year af birth is pretty low on the leg. You couldn't do 2 numbers.

 

[Dave]

Apologies for hijacking the thread.

We are both relative new comers to Oregon. The state changed things about their brands. Any new brands they want three figures.

We relocated from CA to Oregon in 2016 and have been frustrated trying to get a brand approved. Spouse was an inspector in CA so not naive. Sent in some 20 versions/locations and have yet to get an OK. Have checked the brand book before submission so many times I darned near have it committed to memory. Response from ODOA why they were rejected has been less than helpful. Any tips? PM me if you think thats a better route.

Good Luck! Make an ugly, likely to blotch, brand with at least 3 characters and allow them to choose the location.

My brand in Washington was N over bar. That was already taken. I tried flipping it upside down which made it bar over N. No way, even though there is nothing like that in the book. The old people who owned this place had C over U. It is even branded into the concrete in from of the garage. Not in the book or even anything close. Nope. I am going to try to get the old gal to reactivate that brand. Then transfer it to me. I have to get the right brand inspector to help me along with this. The other way would be to try to find people with a brand who are no longer raising cattle and transfer their brand to you. Again good luck.

 

[Lucky]

I looked at a set of 3yo red angus a few years back that supposedly came off a reservation in South Dakota as bred heifers. These cattle had brands like Dave describes, big and you could tell they were fire brands. Only cattle I've seen with brands like that.

When you brand them as little calves the brand grows as they do. For some reason this seems to be more evident with rib or shoulder brands. And having a big brand to start with certainly contributes.

He claimed these cattle were owned by different people but all ran together on a big government lease. Said they branded all baby calves in the spring and turned them back out until ready to breed. I remember one had 3 big diamonds going down the back leg. The brands didn't turn me off and we made a deal on the cows but he got a better offer and I told him to take it. You could definitely tell the brands grew with the calves.

 

[Lucky]

I looked at a set of 3yo red angus a few years back that supposedly came off a reservation in South Dakota as bred heifers. These cattle had brands like Dave describes, big and you could tell they were fire brands. Only cattle I've seen with brands like that.

Ya we bought some cows that had 3 big letters on the ribs like that. It was easy to see. I'm not sure if it was because it was on the rib or because it was a good branding job. I tried to talk myself in to doing it like that but never could go thru with it.

I use the big numbers and letters on yearling replacement heifers. By the time we get a 3 letter brand on top, 3 digit number below that, the one digit year af birth is pretty low on the leg. You couldn't do 2 numbers.

I brand on the left hip with a 3 character 3 inch brand. I tried a 5 inch but it just didn't work very well for some reason ( I think it was the brand maker). I also started a one number year of birth below the brand several years ago. The year of birth has really helped. It's amazing how fast a cow can get old. Lol

 

[gcreekrch]

Trust your neighbours but brand all your calves.

Hides are worthless today and until that changes I doubt it would matter how many brands are on an animal as long as the quality is there.

 

[76 Bar]

Good Luck! Make an ugly, likely to blotch, brand with at least 3 characters and allow them to choose the location.

Thanks Dave.I can assure you there's no shortage of cringeworthy guaranteed to blotch brands registered in OR. :roll: I'm stubbornly desiring a hip brand which I'm sure isn't helping.

My brand in Washington was N over bar. That was already taken. I tried flipping it upside down which made it bar over N. No way, even though there is nothing like that in the book.

Mine in CA was RH 76 above a bar. Partial to 76 for sentimental reasons. Understand why flipping was rejected as is adding characters to an already established brand. That said I've submitted other numerous 3 character brands that aren't remotely associated with those in the data base and were rejected out of hand for what I feel are vague & invalid reasons.

 

[Dave]

Good Luck! Make an ugly, likely to blotch, brand with at least 3 characters and allow them to choose the location.

Thanks Dave.I can assure you there's no shortage of cringeworthy guaranteed to blotch brands registered in OR. :roll: I'm stubbornly desiring a hip brand which I'm sure isn't helping.

My brand in Washington was N over bar. That was already taken. I tried flipping it upside down which made it bar over N. No way, even though there is nothing like that in the book.

Mine in CA was RH 76 above a bar. Partial to 76 for sentimental reasons. Understand why flipping was rejected as is adding characters to an already established brand. That said I've submitted other numerous 3 character brands that aren't remotely associated with those in the data base and were rejected out of hand for what I feel are vague & invalid reasons.

i wanted the right side as the chute and the calf table (which hasn't seen use) are both set up for the right side. They do have on their web site a list of vacant brands. The majority are horse brands. it wouldn't have any significance but at least there are some simple two character brands. I thought about picking one of those and when they turned me down I would have grounds to raise all kinds of heck with them. My advise would be to find a local brand inspector who has been at it for a while. Enlist that persons assistance. My experience is that you will get no help from Salem. As with any government agency having the right person on your side makes things go so much smoother.