What comes to your mind when you hear the word “branding”? Most ranch owners would initially think of the practical benefit as it prevents their animals from getting lost, stolen, or sold to market without their knowledge. Despite the existence of modern ways (GPS tagging and DNA testing), branding remained the most preferred preventive measure to combat cattle theft. 

Another thing that comes to mind is tradition. Most ranches have been operating for decades (even centuries for some) and their brand signifies their commitment to providing the best product quality that their consumers have been accustomed to. So irrespective of the branding method- whether it’s hot or freeze branding, the word “brand” became synonymous to livestock operations across the United States.  

WHAT MAKES A GOOD CATTLE BRAND 

Basically, cattle brands are composed of a few simple letters or numbers, often combined with shapes or signs such as diamond, spade, arc, heart, circle, or lines. Objects related to the ranch and its operation are popular when creating a good cattle brand. 

• Simple yet Remarkable Design – if you’re opting to follow the spoken part of the brand language, try to keep it as simple as possible. Make it remarkable and communicative by using the common character variation techniques such as upside down for “crazy”, 90-degree rotation for “lazy”, and combining two or more letters into one character. It will make the overall brand design striking yet neater.
   
• Story behind the Brand – in case you’re rebranding an old cattle brand, you may also opt to include elements that tell the story behind that brand. Always remember that good cattle brands normally appeal to the emotional side of the consumers. 

IMPORTANCE OF HAVING A RANCH BRAND 

Generally, having a brand for your ranch serves two purposes: identification and legacy 

• Identification – As mentioned earlier, your brand sets you apart from other ranches. Hot iron brands that are done properly leaves a permanent identification on your animals that can be read by anyone. This is very helpful if there are a lot of ranches nearby, as animals go over the fence and get mixed up with others. It happens all the time, and having your animals branded helps everyone to know which animals belong to which rancher in case they get lost. This also deters theft as animals are much harder to sell if the sale barn knows that the animal was stolen.
  Usually, brands are registered with the government and denote ownership at the time it is placed on the animal. Most areas in the USA and Canada have brand identification policies that cattle should be inspected by a designated inspector before selling to the market.
   

• Legacy – Aside from recognition, a brand may be associated with a valuable type of animal. Throughout the years, it can promote brand loyalty where ranch hands are “riding for the brand”. If you’re thinking of value, branded animals maybe worth more if your ranch has a history of quality animals. If you’re thinking of legacy, a brand signifies the proud heritage of a family ranch. A lot of ranch brands are handed down within a family for centuries.  

SHAPING YOUR RANCH BRAND 

Good branding can take your farm or ranch’s brand to a whole new level. Aiming to have a brand that represents trustworthiness and quality adds value to your operation, leaving a legacy for future generations to build off of.