ISSUES POLICY
you recovered them because they were branded, would you say that branding was antiquated? The question of branding’s fu-
By Eldon White, TSCRA executive vice president/CEO
Is Branding Antiquated?
I
RECENTLY ATTENDED AN INDUSTRY meeting on the new Animal Disease Traceability (tagging)
rules, and someone commented that “branding is antiquated.” The comment was in reference to the use of newer low frequency radio identifi cation tags to trace-back a diseased animal to the owner. I waited patiently until the end
of the meeting and then I men- tioned that TSCRA special rangers investigate more than 1,000 cases of ranch-related theft a year, mostly involving cattle. Of the stolen cattle that started out with tags in their ears, very few of them still had the tags in place when they were recovered. Almost all of the tags were removed by the thieves with a simple pocket knife. However, of the stolen cattle that
were branded, 100 percent of them were still wearing the brand when they were recovered. If the cattle that were stolen were yours and
96 The Cattleman June 2013
ture has been the focus of numerous media stories over the past year be- cause new state and federal tagging rules have been implemented. These new rules require adult cattle older than 18 months of age be tagged with an approved tag that is ob- tained through the Texas Animal Health Commission (TAHC) or an authorized distributor. The state rule requires the tag to
be present when adult cattle change ownership. The federal rule says that the tag is required for adult cattle to move across state lines. Certain types of radio frequency (RFID) tags may be used. The in- formation imbedded in the RFID tags can be read using an electronic “wand” and the data transferred directly into computer software. Most news reporters suggest that
branding will be replaced by these higher-tech identifi cation methods. In jumping to this assumption, they miss the practical and intrinsic val- ue of branding your cattle. From a practical standpoint, a
brand is highly visible and can be seen from a distance. The way I explain it to reporters is, “Brands are the only form of permanent identifi cation that can be seen from horseback.” Beyond ownership, ranchers use
brands in unique ways to commu- nicate year of birth, sire and other information based on brand place-
ment on the animal. This is particu- larly helpful when working cattle in open traps without squeeze chutes or narrow alleys. From an investigative stand-
point, TSCRA special rangers can spot brands on suspect cattle using binoculars from a county road and have enough evidence to enter the property and take further action. Brands are a practical management tool for any ranch, and used in com- bination with RFID tags, reinforce ownership and serve as a strong theft deterrent. Beyond the practical use of
branding, a brand communicates volumes about the ranch. Since join- ing TSCRA, I have had the great op- portunity to travel throughout the Southwest and visit ranches large and small. Through these travels, I have learned a lot about the ranches, the quality of their cattle, the his- tory of the ranching family and the legacy that will be transferred to future generations. Their brand communicates all
of this in a simple symbol. It’s no wonder that high-powered adver- tising executives create successful campaigns based on strong “brand” recognition. Brands can convey a very strong emotional message. Is branding antiquated? The day
I drive past a ranch entrance with a replica of an ear tag hanging from the stone or ironwork, that’s the day I might agree branding is an- tiquated. But until then, I think branding will have a long and use- ful future.
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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