Electric branding irons

[Ky cowboy]

I lease a farm where me and the owner both have cattle/calves on the farm I've eat tagged them all except for a few calves that I'll get in a couple weeks when I run back thru. The owners word is as good as it gets but he's in he's 70's and it's to be left to his daughter I'm wanting to protect myself and give them assurance nothing fishy will go on when the inevitable happens. I thought about freeze branding but I have several white and light colored calves, so I'm leaning toward the electric branders, any recommended makers, brand design tips. And I am going to register the brand with the state so it will be legal.
Thanks

 

[js1234]

If you need to buy electric irons, I'd only buy L&H. Really good iron. If possible, I'd get 220 versus 110. Have and use both and the difference is noticeable. An L&H electric iron powered by 220 is the closest thing I've found to a well built, properly heated fire iron.
We brand stockers through a hydraulic chute with an electric iron.
Calves are roped and branded with a fire iron.
As far as design, keep it simple. Too many weekend warriors make waaaaay too busy of a brand and when their all done making a mess of it, they'd have been better off registering it as "unsightly blotch on the Right Hip".
Single character irons are hard to get registered to be sure but I'd do my best to keep it at two characters.
We use 4 different irons for different things.
2 are 2 characters, 1 is a single character with an appendage of sorts and 1 believe it or not is a single character, just a capitalized letter actually.

 

[Ky cowboy]

Are brand registration state specific or nationally. Branding is not very common in ky except for some breeders freeze brand reg. Stock. I've gone thru the state brand book and there's not that many and none that resemble what I'm thinking bout using.

 

[NolanCountyAG]

In Texas it is by county. Lots of brands here.

 

[Black and Good]

I just recently started branding. It's been a learning process. But, the electric brander I bought was built by Husky Branding Irons. www.huskybrandingirons.com They shipped it within 24 hours. Very nice helpful people. One thing I learned the hard way is that if you use a gas powered generator it needs to be at least 3000 watt. I started with my little quiet 1000 watt and it wouldn't pull it at all. Try it on card board first. Another piece of advise I'd give you is if you know someone who has branded a lot have them help you get started watching it done sure helps. I was also told that if you soak the branded spot with #1 kerosene after you've branded that it makes a cleaner more fast healing brand. Here's some pics of my first attempt. You can see where it moved a bit on me. And where I should have applied a little more pressure to the bottom. Hope this helps. Good luck. B&G

 

[Rafter S]

I also have one from L&H that I've been happy with. As someone else said, in Texas brands are registered at the county level, but in most states I believe it's statewide. And I also agree about keeping it simple (like mine).

 

[BRYANT]

Mine is a L&H works fine, it is only a 110 and I use a welder generator to power it most of the time, need to have a heave duty cord if you use an extension cord. I would try to stay away from closed letters and numbers. my ''B'' will blob if not real careful.
Black and Gold's brand looks great but if you are a beginner at branding that brand will blob if not real careful can not get one like that to hot or leave it on to long.
best numbers is 123457 harder to brand is 6890 -ABDOPQR
I am not saying it will not work just harder to keep from being a blob

 

[Dave]

Mine is also an L & H. Keep the brand as simple as possible. And keep the figures as far apart as you can so they don't run into each other. My brand is simply a capital letter with a bar under it. If there are lots of brands available in your state pick the simplest one you can get registered.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Been thinking of going with LVF on a new one, that combo be legible?

 

[Bigfoot]

Been thinking of going with LVF on a new one, that combo be legible?

Yes, the point of the v may blur. My brand is the greater than equal to symbol. The greater than symbol blurs sometimes. I just use my Number 1 3 times to avoid it.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Looking at this here, if I notched the corners it may be best. Its pretty much the same as lvf, just knock the end off that R

http://livestockbranding.net/images/bra ... -brand.jpg

 

[Jessica06]

We have L&H irons. All of the numbers, the universal, and our ranch brand. If possible, I highly recommend getting a set of clippers and slicking the spot where you're going to brand them. Not always possible depending on how much power you have, but it takes a lot of the guesswork out of how long you should hold it on there, and the brands turn out so much better because of it.

 

[Jessica06]

I just recently started branding. It's been a learning process. But, the electric brander I bought was built by Husky Branding Irons. http://www.huskybrandingirons.com They shipped it within 24 hours. Very nice helpful people. One thing I learned the hard way is that if you use a gas powered generator it needs to be at least 3000 watt. I started with my little quiet 1000 watt and it wouldn't pull it at all. Try it on card board first. Another piece of advise I'd give you is if you know someone who has branded a lot have them help you get started watching it done sure helps. I was also told that if you soak the branded spot with #1 kerosene after you've branded that it makes a cleaner more fast healing brand. Here's some pics of my first attempt. You can see where it moved a bit on me. And where I should have applied a little more pressure to the bottom. Hope this helps. Good luck. B&G

I second the generator. We did it that way for a few years, then said heck with it and had electricity run to our pens. Still need to tweak the breakers to run more than 2 at a time but it's been a lot better (and quieter!!!!).

 

[wbvs58]

Have you considered an LPG or I think you call it Propane furnace to heat brands and do away with generators and electricity. They are pretty standard here apart from the good old fire and bring it up to temp quickly.

Ken

 

[js1234]

We have L&H irons. All of the numbers, the universal, and our ranch brand. If possible, I highly recommend getting a set of clippers and slicking the spot where you're going to brand them. Not always possible depending on how much power you have, but it takes a lot of the guesswork out of how long you should hold it on there, and the brands turn out so much better because of it.

I would second the clippers. When we get in Fall delivery calves from Mountain states, that hair is a nuisance. We clip before we put our rib iron on with very good results.
I'd also add that i would recommend a hip iron for the cow/calf guy and a rib iron for the stocker guy. I'm not a fan of shoulder irons and have only seen two sets of calves with jaw irons in my life.

 

[Jessica06]

We have L&H irons. All of the numbers, the universal, and our ranch brand. If possible, I highly recommend getting a set of clippers and slicking the spot where you're going to brand them. Not always possible depending on how much power you have, but it takes a lot of the guesswork out of how long you should hold it on there, and the brands turn out so much better because of it.

I would second the clippers. When we get in Fall delivery calves from Mountain states, that hair is a nuisance. We clip before we put our rib iron on with very good results.
I'd also add that i would recommend a hip iron for the cow/calf guy and a rib iron for the stocker guy. I'm not a fan of shoulder irons and have only seen two sets of calves with jaw irons in my life.

Yep. We had been putting our holding brand on the left shoulder on our registered cattle. The way our chute is, we had to be really careful or they'd rub the hide off if they started jumping around. We went back to the hip on the last couple of groups and it's been a LOT better. If it ain't broke...

 

[Ky cowboy]

I plan on doing it on left hip. Just having a hard time designing the brand, I probably over think it tho. I want to look good and be simple/practical

 

[js1234]

I plan on doing it on left hip. Just having a hard time designing the brand, I probably over think it tho. I want to look good and be simple/practical

I'd have the process start and stop there.

 

[LongLopeSlowHorse]

I just recently started branding. It's been a learning process. But, the electric brander I bought was built by Husky Branding Irons. http://www.huskybrandingirons.com They shipped it within 24 hours. Very nice helpful people. One thing I learned the hard way is that if you use a gas powered generator it needs to be at least 3000 watt. I started with my little quiet 1000 watt and it wouldn't pull it at all. Try it on card board first. Another piece of advise I'd give you is if you know someone who has branded a lot have them help you get started watching it done sure helps. I was also told that if you soak the branded spot with #1 kerosene after you've branded that it makes a cleaner more fast healing brand. Here's some pics of my first attempt. You can see where it moved a bit on me. And where I should have applied a little more pressure to the bottom. Hope this helps. Good luck. B&G

Blotcher.

 

[Black and Good]

I just recently started branding. It's been a learning process. But, the electric brander I bought was built by Husky Branding Irons. http://www.huskybrandingirons.com They shipped it within 24 hours. Very nice helpful people. One thing I learned the hard way is that if you use a gas powered generator it needs to be at least 3000 watt. I started with my little quiet 1000 watt and it wouldn't pull it at all. Try it on card board first. Another piece of advise I'd give you is if you know someone who has branded a lot have them help you get started watching it done sure helps. I was also told that if you soak the branded spot with #1 kerosene after you've branded that it makes a cleaner more fast healing brand. Here's some pics of my first attempt. You can see where it moved a bit on me. And where I should have applied a little more pressure to the bottom. Hope this helps. Good luck. B&G

Blotcher.

Define your meaning???