BRANDS used and explained by
The Thomas Ranch.
Why do Cowboys use Brands on their Animals?
Brands are used as an identifying mark to easily identify one Ranchers or Farmers livestock from another. Brands are designed to provide ownership of the Brand holder. In the 1880’s when a mass of land could spread across several states, several Ranchers Livestock could intermingle with each other’s. When it was time to take them to Market, they would then push their Herds, and then separate them with the appropriate Brands and that would be the Rancher who got paid.
An animal without a Brand would be called a “Maverick”. Your standard “Maverick” could be Branded by any Rancher who finds the animal. Today most (not all) try to find who owns the animal and returns it. But there are those who will still Brand your animal without thinking twice about it.
How do I read Brands?
The first step in understanding how to read Brands is to understand the most used symbols in the Branding arsenal.
Letters that stand upright, for example
A is called A, are called by the letter that is used.
Letters that lay down or on their side are called “Lazy” such as our Brands the Lazy A – Lazy T.
Letters that are reversed are called “Reverse”
Letters that are connected are called either “Combined” or “Connected”.
Letters that are stacked on top of each other and are connected together are called “Hanging”.
Then you have symbols:
Slash
Bar
Cross
Half Circle
Circle
Lazy (example of an A)
Upside Down (example of a T)
Reverse (example of an E)
Square
Triangle
Circle Cross
Combined, Connected (W5 from the Watson Ranch)
Picture Brands are a unique set of symbols creating a
NEW symbol. It would be impossible to list every Brand in the world or every combination of symbols and letters in the space that is allowed here.
But with a little practice you can learn to read most Brands just by looking at them. Taking time out and going out to the
Country-Side looking at your local Ranchers or Farmers Brands will give you a meaningful day out with the family.
Logos are different than Brands. If you want to register a Logo in Arizona go to the Arizona
Secretary of State.
Where do I apply for a Brand?
Each state is different, but here in Arizona you can apply for your Brand at the
Arizona Department of Agriculture .
Or you can mail them at:
Licensing and Registration Section
1688 West Adams 1st Floor
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
Or call them at:
Phone: (602) 542-6406
Hours: Monday through Friday - 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.
Why would I need a Brand?
The only reason you would need a Brand is if you raise animals for a living, or if you own any livestock for sale. “Every person owning range livestock in Arizona shall adopt and record a brand with which to Brand such livestock. Earmarks may also be recorded as long as the earmark is not already recorded for use by a neighbor and if the earmark does not cut off the ends of both ears,” the Arizona Department of Agriculture.
What are the different types of Branding methods used?
Hot Iron Branding has been the number 1 Branding process since 2700 B.C. Using fire and steel Brands, an animal is scored (marked) by heat. When applying heat sometimes the hair may catch on fire if the hair is long or the Brands are too hot. (This process is not for the light hearted.) Once a hot iron is placed on the animal in its particular location it is burned or scared into the skin. Once the brand has healed it will be free of hair letting positive identification become easier than trying to shave off hair to identify an animal.
Freeze Branding, although relatively new compared to the Hot Irons it is becoming the top choice of modern Ranchers. It is a more humane means of Branding. Using dry ice, rubbing alcohol, and a set of shears this process is gentler not only to the animals but to the people viewing and / or working the Brands. The Freeze Branding process almost all but eradicates the sulking and bellowing of the animals. With Freeze Branding you shear off the hair in your Brands location and apply a Brand that was soaked in the dry ice and rubbing alcohol. When the hair grows back it will be a white color, giving you a positive and easily identifying mark. This is the method that we currently use here at “The Thomas Ranch.”
Tattooing is mostly left for Horses and Dogs. Using a Tattoo is placed inside the Horses mouth, usually under his or her lip. This would be an impossible type used for identifying Cattle.
Tracking an animal using Brands:
Today Brands are used to track an animal from
Birth to
Death. If you researched a typical Brand on an animal, or a set of Brands, you could show where it was born and which Ranches it has traveled thru. This could give you an understanding of your particular animal (Cow or Horse).
Our Ranch uses the Lazy A, Lazy T Brand for our Cattle.
Shown here.
Our Ranch uses the E, Lazy T Brand for our Horses.
Shown here.
You can see one of our Logos that we use on the top of the page with the Lazy A, Lazy T combined, which is not our Brand but looks better as a Logo.
We hope that this sheds some light on the subject of Brands.
The Thomas Ranch
