AGRICULTURAL NEWS - Branding discourages stock theft and makes it easier for the police to trace the rightful owners when stolen animals are recovered. But to make branding work effectively, you need to follow certain guidelines.
The most important of these are: buy well-made branding irons; immobilise your animals securely during branding; make sure the branding fire is at the right temperature; and make sure that the person doing the branding is properly trained for the job.
Failing to do these things can result in unnecessary suffering for the animal, cause muscle damage, and leave you with a messy, unreadable brand.
The branding irons
Branding irons can be bought from a farmers’ co-op store. They can be one of two types: each brand letter/number can be on a single iron, or all the letters/numbers can be on one iron.
