When is branding required?

[DavisBeefmasters]

Okay fire away (all pun intended)...

Do any of you know where you can look up when you are required to brand cattle? [We live in California - so I'm sure I'll have to pay heavy fees to someone] I've found all the requirements for registering a brand... but nothing on when it is required.

If we are raising beef on our property for the freezer - does it need to have a brand? or is the tatoo in the ear and ear tag sufficient?

All comments welcome!

 

[D.R. Cattle]

I don't believe it is "required" anywhere.

 

[Mahoney Pursley Ranch]

Branding is one means of identifying your cattle. The only enity I know of that requires branding is the Brammer registry I think.

 

[Double R Ranch]

I do not know about anyone elses area but cattle theft is an all to real thing in "our" area. Just about a month ago there were signs all over our area for a kids 4h steer having been stolen. A large number of cattle just in the last year have been returned because of there brands. We recomend that you use a brand. But make sure it is registered or it will do you know good.
The Dept. of Agriculture can also tell you how many cows are being stollen and returned. I would give you the numbers but I just got rid of the corral notes that they send with the brand renewals. The Dept. of Agriculture is downtown sac. and you can call them and they will tell you what to do and not to do with regards to branding.
Everything we own is branded. We also use ear tags and our cows have tatoo's. A ear tag can be easily taken out by a cattle thief but is a good identification method for you or others if your cows get out.
Hope this helps a bit.

As far as fee's it is $60.00 for two years.

 

[TXBobcat]

To register some animals with a breed association, brands are required. I know that we have to have a holding brand (ranch brand) and a PH # (unique private herd #)on each animal before it can be registered with one of the Texas Longhorn associations.

All of our animals get the ranch brand on the left hip:

On the right hip, we put a 3 digit #, first # is year animal was born, and then a 01, 02, 03, etc.

Example: First animal born this year was branded 601.

 

[dun]

In CA, you might want to go to the local salebarn and talk to the brand inspector on sale day. He/she is generally a lot easier to talk to and get information from the the powers that be in Sac.

dun

 

[Rustler9]

Branding is required by our Longhorn registry so we brand all heifers, bulls and steers that we will retain or sell as registered breeding stock. Initially, hot branding was required and I believe it is still the preferred choice for the TLBAA but since so many yuppies and squeamish beginners have gotten into the Longhorn breed they have allowed freeze branding but it doesn't show up as well on the animal's hide. Especially on a white cow.

 

[Double R Ranch]

In CA, you might want to go to the local salebarn and talk to the brand inspector on sale day. He/she is generally a lot easier to talk to and get information from the the powers that be in Sac.

dun

Not to step on your toes Dun, I usually agree with you. But in this case I know both of the brand inspectors in our area. They are both very grumpy unhelpful people. You are much better off calling sac. They are VERY helpful. I am only speeking from experiance. I used to work at the sale barn in our area so I know both of them very well.
Best of luck!
Double R

 

[rancherswife]

I agree with Double R. I never deal with the Brand inspectors themselves unless I have to. They just seem to act like you are bothering them. Unless you are bringing cattle in from another state, then there will be messages on your answering machine before you ever get back to CA wanting to set up a time to inspect them. Then guess what.... They don't ever show up.
Ours are all registered longhorns so they have to be branded, but I don't think the state requires it. They may give ya trouble at a sale tho. We usually don't brand our freezer steers.
I do know Ca. doesn't allow freeze branding it has to be a hot Iron.
Good Luck and let us know what you find out.

 

[dun]

I must have been lucky and got the only friendy brand inspectors in CA. But that was 15 years ago and more.

dun

 

[Double R Ranch]

According to the California Brand book and registration form it is not required to have a brand. You are correct that freeze branding is not allowed.
The reason behind my recomendation for them to brand is because of our area. There is a large number of cattle thefts. I am very close to DavisBeefmasters location and having worked with the brand inspectors for years I am all to aware of the problem in our area.
If you want to be able to get your cattle back in the event that they are stolen, they need to be branded. Freezer steers get stolen to. I do not know about other states but every animal that is butchered in california has to have a brand inspection. When they butcher your animal they take the hide with them. If you want it back you can get it after it has been inspected. This helps prevent someone steeling your steer and slaughtering it.
Everything gets branded here. Our stock is worth money to us. Even our freezer meat. We would like to get em back.

 

[Double R Ranch]

I must have been lucky and got the only friendy brand inspectors in CA. But that was 15 years ago and more.

dun

Those guys have long retired. They are younger guys now.

 

[rancherswife]

Thanks for the info double R :lol: I was taxing my limited computer skills trying to find the answer
I guess since we keep the freezer steers up closer to the house I wasn't worried. I think I might have to rethink the not branding thing. Nothing is off limits to theives anymore
The only trouble we have ever had is the military helicopters flying over the cows running them all over the desert. Guess they get bored up there!!
Have they caught any of those bad guys??

 

[Double R Ranch]

Thanks for the info double R :lol: I was taxing my limited computer skills trying to find the answer
I guess since we keep the freezer steers up closer to the house I wasn't worried. I think I might have to rethink the not branding thing. Nothing is off limits to theives anymore
The only trouble we have ever had is the military helicopters flying over the cows running them all over the desert. Guess they get bored up there!!
Have they caught any of those bad guys??

My pleasure. Having worked with it for so long it is almost second nature. Not to mention I just got my renewal in the mail and read all the info. with last years numbers.
You are so correct that nothing is safe anymore.
Yes they have caught some of the cattle rustlers. If you go onto the dept of ag website it will tell you the numbers. I will try and find the link again and post it.

They stop at nothing these days! It is sad really. Nothing is safe.

 

[dun]

Yes they have caught some of the cattle rustlers. If you go onto the dept of ag website it will tell you the numbers. I will try and find the link again and post it.

They stop at nothing these days! It is sad really. Nothing is safe.

Does CA still have the fine as being a huge multiple of the value of the animal?

dun

 

[Double R Ranch]

I never asked. They don't mention it in the book either. I have no idea. Sounds like california though ;-)