Hot iron branding cattle as a form

of owner identification was first

recorded in Egyptian tombs in 2700

B.C. The first recorded brands in the

Western Hemisphere were the Three

Latin Crosses of Hernán Cortéz who

landed in Mexico in 1519. Branding

continues to be a common form of

permanent cattle identification and is

advocated as a theft deterrent. A

1992-93 study by the National Animal

Health Monitoring System (NAHMS)

found that 12.2 percent of U.S. beef

cow/calf producers brand calves

prior to weaning. This accounted

for 37.6 percent of all calves born.

Branding practices have recently

been scrutinized for the hide damage

they cause. The damage decreases the quantity of hide

that can be used for leather goods. In an effort to help

define the beef industrys branding practices, NAHMS

included pertinent questions in its Beef Cow/Calf Health

and Productivity Audit (CHAPA). The questions were

asked of 3,397 producers from operations throughout the

lower 48 U.S. states. Respondents were randomly

selected so that the results would represent all U.S. beef

cow/calf producers. Two objectives of the study were to

help quantify the number of U.S. operations branding

calves and identify the primary branding sites used for

calves.

The number of producers branding and the number of

calves being branded prior to weaning vary considerably

by region, as do branding laws that regulate the practice.

As shown in Figure 1, branding is more prevalent in the

Western portion of the country where common grazing is

more widespread. The Southwest has the highest

proportion of operations that brand (nearly 61 percent).

These operations account for about 92 percent of all

unweaned calves in the region. Producers who brand tend

to brand nearly all of their unweaned calves. Branding

sites on steers and heifers and the percent of those

branded prior to weaning were similar on U.S. operations.

Figure 2 shows the regional origin of U.S. unweaned

calves that were branded. The largest percentage of

branded calves originated from the Northwest and

Northcentral regions, 29.9 and 29.4 percent

respectively.

Branding Practices in Beef

Cow/Calf Herds

Beef Cow/Calf Health and Productivity Audit

United States

Department of

Agriculture

Animal and

Plant Health

Inspection

Service

Veterinary

Services

Figure 1

Figure 2

July 1993
Hides are classified by brand site for marketing

purposes, due to damage caused by the brand. Brand

sites are shown in Figure 3. In the last 5 years, hides

branded on the side/rib (B) have brought average prices

of 16 percent less than unbranded hides, and shoulder

or hip-branded (A, C and D) hides brought 11 percent

less. These discounts translated to an average of $13

and $9 per hide respectively. Brand location is

legislated by laws in some areas or is the producers

choice in others.

CHAPA results indicate that, of the 12.2 percent of

U.S. operations that brand, the most common site used

is the upper hip (6.0 percent of the total operations).

The percentage of calves branded on the upper hip was

17.1 percent. The next most common sites were the

side/rib, shoulder, and lower hip. Less than 1 percent

of the animals were branded on the rump, head, or neck.

Table 1 shows the percent of U.S. beef calves born

in 1992 that were branded prior to weaning by brand

location and region. In the Northwest, the calfs

side/rib was the most common place for producers to

place brands, while in other regions, it was the upper

hip. Branding of cattle after weaning was not addressed

during the CHAPA.

CHAPA collaborators included the National

Agricultural Statistics Service (USDA), State and Federal

Veterinary Medical Officers, and the National Veterinary

Services Laboratories (USDA:APH IS:VS).

Other CHAPA information is available on the

following topics: Branding, Injection sites, Identification

methods, Facilities, Calf health, and Reproductive

efficiency. For more information, contact:

National Animal Health Monitoring System

USDA:APHIS:VS

2150 Centre Ave., Bldg. B, MS 2E7 

Fort Collins, Colorado 80526-8117

(970) 494-7000

N127.0793

Percent of Total U.S. Operations and Animals

Branded for Selected Sites*

Operations = 6.0% Operations = 4.2% Operations = 1.1%

Calves = 17.1% Calves = 14.0% Calves = 3.5%

Operations = 1.1%

Calves = 2.6%

Sites:

A: Shoulder C: Upper hip E: Rump along tail

B: Side/rib D: Lower hip F: Head

G: Neck

* Total percent of operations branding by site does not equal the total

percent of U.S. operations that brand (12.2) because some producers use

multiple sites.

Figure 3

Percent of U.S. Beef Calves Born in 1992 by Brand Location and Region

Location

Northwest Southwest Northcentral Southcentral Northeast Southeast Total*

Upper Hip 4.0 3.6 5.3 3.6 0.1 0.5 = 17.1

Side 6.0 2.1 4.1 1.8 0.0 <0.1 = 14.0

Shoulder 1.0 1.0 0.7 0.7 0.0 0.1 = 3.5

Lower Hip 0.3 0.3 0.9 0.8 0.0 0.3 = 2.6

Other <0.1 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.0 <0.1 = 0.5

Total percent of U.S. calves that are branded: 37.6

*Column does not total due to rounding.

Table 1