HORSE BRANDS AND TATOOS

1. HORSE BRANDS AND TATOOS From foukeffa.org Written by Michelle Jackson Ag Student Texas A&M GA Ag Ed Curriculum Office To accompany the Georgia Agriculture Education Curriculum Course 01432 Unit 6 July 2001

2. OBJECTIVES • Students will be able to list the 9 steps of hot iron branding. • Students will be able to list materials for hot iron branding. • Students will list the 8 steps for freeze branding.

3. OBJECTIVES • Students will list materials needed for freeze branding. • Students will describe procedure for tattooing a horse.

4. Types of Branding • Hot Iron Branding • Freeze Branding

5. Hot Iron Branding

6. Hot Iron Branding • A good hot brand destroys hair follicles located under several layers of skin and leaves a permanent bald scar on the hide of the animal.  • A simple brand design is encouraged.

7. Hot Iron Branding • The secret to successful hot branding is destroying hair follicles without burning through the hide.

8. Materials Needed • Iron • Steel • Stainless Steel

9. Steps To Hot Iron Branding • The iron used in hot branding should be made of good iron or steel and constructed as suggested in this web site. • The animal must be restrained in such a manner that it cannot move.   For calves, use a branding table.

10. 3.Check your iron for temperature.  An iron that is the color of grey ashes is the proper temperature and will produce a good brand. • 4.Using the iron and not exerting excessive pressure, allow the iron to do the branding.  Roll the iron with the shape of the animal's body to put the same pressure at all points of iron contact.

11. 5. A proper brand should be the color of saddle brown leather when the iron is removed.  The time required to produce this saddle brown color should only be three to five seconds. • 6. Keep irons free of scale and burnt hair.  A wire brush or pail of sand works well.

12. 7. Do not permit iron to slip or slide. • 8. Do not brand wet animals.  This will result in an unreadable, blotched brand.  Branding wet animals will also cause scalding, which is slow to heal.

13. 9. Animals with heavy winter hair coats should be clipped before branding.  Excess hair may also be removed by applying the iron softly and wiping away burned hair with your glove.  Insure the iron is free of burnt hair then continue to apply the brand.

15. FREEZE BRANDING

16. ITEMS NEEDED • A BRASS, OR OTHER TYPE METAL BRAND OF YOUR DESIGN. • 99% ALCOHOL, DRY ICE (10 LBS), AND AN ICE CHEST. • CLIPPERS, RAZOR BLADE TO SHAVE THE AREA FOR THE BRAND,GLOVES, AND A STOPWATCH.

17. Steps To Freeze Branding • Clip and shave the area where your horse is to be branded. Make sure you shave an area large enough for your branding iron to fit inside. • 2. Take each horse, and lay the branding iron on the shaved area,prior to getting the branding iron cold.

18. Steps To Freeze Branding • When your vet arrives, have him tranquilize the first horse. • Approximately 15 minutes before you begin branding, place the 10 lbs of dry ice in the ice chest. Pour one gallon of 99% alcohol over the ice.

19. Steps To Freeze Branding 5.Place the head of your branding iron into the mixture. 6. The iron should be sufficientlycold within 15-20 minutes. 7. Push the brand onto the shaved area, keep steady pressure for 30 seconds .

20. Animal Coolant Application Time Cow CalfHorseColt Liquid NitrogenLiquid Nitrogen Liquid NitrogenLiquid Nitrogen 25 - 30 seconds21 - 24 seconds8 - 12 seconds6 - 12 seconds FREEZE BRANDING

27. TATTOOS

29. TATTOOS • Tattoos must be officially applied by certain authorized agencies for recognition by racing commissions • There is no single registry for all tattooed horses. • Tattoos are very easily altered.

30. TATTOOS • Tattoos do not work satisfactorily in horses under two years of age because of growth dilution and resorption of the ink. • Some tattoos fade as the horse ages. • Tattoos can be removed

31. THE END!!!