Freeze Branding Cattle

[Bryan L]

Hi all

If anyone freeze brands there cattle here, I'm curious if you prefer dry ice or liquid nitrogen and why. If your using liquid nitrogen, what type of container do you use to hold the LN with the brands in there? And how do you prevent it from evaporating quickly? I've been told you only need enough LN in the "cooler" to cover the brands. Do you start with much more to account for evaporation? Lastly, do you add the LN to the "cooler" with or without the brands?

To me, it seems easier to use dry ice with alcohol, but so far, I've found the 99% isopropyl alcohol at Valley Vet in the small bottles...16 oz. Does anyone know of a source that supplies by the Gallon that might not be so expensive? Thanks in advance!

Bryan

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

We freeze brand, and use the dry ice and alcohol, only because it is easiest to buy and store.

We get our alcohol from Macs Vet Supply in Springfield, MO. You can call and check if they will mail, but I am not sure what shipping would be. I think we pay $20 for a gallon.
https://www.yellowpages.com/springfield ... y-22158664

Do you guys have a vet supply store around you? If you do, they may stock it for you if you ask.

 

[wbvs58]

I branded my yearlings and 2yr olds about 3 months ago and used dry ice on some groups and N on others as the dry I bought was very fine pellets and did not last overnight in the alcohol so had to get my N tank filled to finish them off.

I am much happier with how the brands turned out with the groups I did with the dry ice, nice clear bold brands.I think I may have held the brands on too long with the N groups and burnt them a bit, the white hairs are taking a long time to appear.

Ken

 

[Bryan L]

Guys,

Thank you for the info! We do and I'll ask Fire Sweep...

 

[gizmom]

https://www.googleadservices.com/pagead ... IWA&adurl=

We purchase it in five gallon containers we have used both LN and dry ice and alcohol we have settled on the dry ice and alcohol our tanks are used for semen and embryo storage and we don't have a spare to store the LN. a five gallon container will go a long way, and we can pick up dry ice at the local Publix store.

Gizmom

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

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We purchase it in five gallon containers we have used both LN and dry ice and alcohol we have settled on the dry ice and alcohol our tanks are used for semen and embryo storage and we don't have a spare to store the LN. a five gallon container will go a long way, and we can pick up dry ice at the local Publix store.

Gizmom

Debbie, how long do you hold the brand on when using dry ice and alchohol?

 

[bse]

I use Methanol instead of alchohol, works the same a lot easier to get here at the tire store

 

[gizmom]

60 seconds my job is stopwatch, if one jumps around the boss will tell me to add 5 seconds. I would have never thought of Methanol.

Gizmom