Freeze branding

[wbvs58]

Yes temperature is a factor....I learned much to late in life that branding weanlings in late may or early june was a contributing factor to my inconsistent results....

much better results freeze branding in winter......

I also never reused the alcohol....used alcohol I would save and use it for wiping off the branding site before applying the iron...always used new alcohol for the dry ice.

I also have a battery clock that hangs over my chute....

Sourcing dry ice got to be a problem for me....first the dry ice plant in town closed...finally found it in a grocery store but then the grocery chain was sold....would have to start looking again if I were to resume branding...because I have no idea where to find dry ice locally now. I used to buy the dry ice the day before branding and keep in a good cooler and about a third of it would be gone when I was ready to use it...

In what form did you use the dry ice? I can get pea size pellets, sheets about an inch thick or big blocks, the pellets I used gave good heat transfer but disappeared too quick.

Ken

 

[pdfangus]

I used slabs about an inch thick

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

Dry ice is expensive around here. $4 a pound. I used LN3 last year but the brands, or lack of, show I didn't hold the iron on long enough. I sure thought 27 seconds would have been enough. Now I have 40 yearling heifers that have to have a brand before going to grass. People who neighbor the pasture where these heifers will be have a feedlot and any 'extras' make their bottom line a little sweeter. I own my brand on both shoulders but a hot iron brand seems to stretch as the animal ages and distorts. Is 30 seconds too long-using LN3-on yearling angus heifers?

 

[wbvs58]

I branded my weaned calves about 9 days ago and I had them through the race again this morning and I am very happy with how the brands are going, the area over the brands has gone hard and the brand is easy to see and I suspect the hair will start to peel off in a couple of days. I used copper brands with liquid N and held them on for 25 seconds.

Ken

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

Thanks Ken. I'm not sure where I messed up last time but I have nothing to show for it. Heifers have no brand on them. If I could find someone in my area who does it, I'd pay to have it done.

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

wbvs58-I've been thinking back on my freeze branding technique. I used 99.9% alcohol and sprayed it while the iron was being applied to the hide. Maybe I shouldn't have done that? Did it warm up the iron too much to prevent branding? I have a copper iron, clipped the hide, wetted it with the alcohol, applied the iron, timed the length applied, sprayed alcohol while applying, and sprayed after application. Gotta be one or both of those last two.

 

[pdfangus]

those last two are both unnecessary according to all I know.
I don't know how you physically held on the iron and simultaneously sprayed alcohol on it..
It takes me both hands and some body weight to hold the iron on and rock it a little bit without it slipping.

 

[Chocolate Cow2]

Thank You pdfangus. I'd betting I couldn't do it this year. My shoulders are telling my age. It didn't seem to be much of a problem to hold the iron on the heifer-with pressure-and apply the alcohol. I had to wear leather gloves because the irons were so cold. At least I had that part right. Looking back, I'm not sure why I sprayed alcohol during and after the process. :dunce:

 

[Ebenezer]

those last two are both unnecessary according to all I know.
I don't know how you physically held on the iron and simultaneously sprayed alcohol on it..
It takes me both hands and some body weight to hold the iron on and rock it a little bit without it slipping.

Good point here: pressure and roll the iron a bit side to side as needed.

Were irons allowed cool down enough between animals?

Spray clipped area when about ready to apply irons then no need to spray again.

 

[gizmom]

The boss and I finally got around to freeze branding a group of heifers today. This chore was originally scheduled for January but life happens, family comes before cows, we got the have to get done finished and put some of the needs to be done on back burners. Now we are trying our best to catch up.



I ran to our local Publix and picked up the dry ice. We estimate 1 1/2 pounds of dry ice per head to get the job done. We also use 99% alcohol which I order in five gallon containers online.



The boss clips the hair, I then brush area with a rice root brush then spray area with alcohol. The boss mans the iron I man the tail and stopwatch we hold iron on for 60 seconds.

Gizmom