South Florida Beef - Forage Program

"Article of the Month"
September 2002


Cattle Identification

Jim Selph - Desoto County Extension Director/Livestock Agent
UF/IFAS


With everything that has happened over the past year, Cattle Identification will become an extremely important part of the beef cattle industry in the United States. Whether it is a part of a terrorist act or just simply an outbreak of a disease such as foot and mouth, the ability to identify and trace the origin of any given animal takes on a new and significant role. Food safety is very important to both the consumer and the producer. After all, cattlemen themselves are some of the biggest consumers of beef products. We still have the role of identifying the genetics that are producing the right type of beef products that are being demanded by consumers. Tenderness, flavor and lean red meat are the keys to quality.

Proper animal identification is essential to efficient record keeping, proof of ownership, and routine observation. Methods of identification most commonly used include ear tagging, tattooing, hot branding, and freeze branding. Regardless of method, you must first decide on a numbering scheme if your records are to be meaningful. Each animal needs a unique number. Herd size will determine how many digits are required, but each digit should have some meaning. Using four-digit numbers, you can employ a common scheme where the first digit denotes year of birth; the second identifies sire or breed crossed; and the last two digits indicate birth order. Or, a letter can be used to denote year of birth, using the international year/letter designations (Table 1).

For example, a tattoo reading "1 2 14" might mean:

1 =2001 birth year
2 = Sire #2
14 = 14th calf born in 2001
Or, the tattoo could read "L214" and have the same meaning.

Table 1. Year Letter denotes year of birth - I, O, V and Q are never used.
Year 1995 1996 1997 1998 1999 2000 2001 2002 2003 2004 2005 2006
Letter E F G H J K L M N P R S


Ear Tagging

Ear tagging is probably the most common method of identification. It is not permanent, however, and tags are frequently lost. Ear tags are best used in conjunction with a permanent form of identification, such as a tattoo or brand. Prenumbered tags can be purchased. If you number your own, be sure to use an ink that will penetrate the "plastic matrix" of the tag, and allow adequate time for it to dry. The state of the art tag is one that contains an electronic chip that will allow for the calf to be identified from the ranch all the way to the slaughter house.

Tattooing

Tattooing is a permanent means of identification, but only useful at close range. Most purebred organizations require animals to be tattooed in one or both ears prior to registration. The tattooing instrument is a pliers-type device that imprints numbers and/or letters. As the handles are squeezed together, sharp, pointed, needle-like projections pierce into the ear to imprint the characters. Afterward, indelible ink is rubbed into the small punctures. Once healed, the tattoo is permanent.

Hot Branding

Hot (fire) branding the hide is the oldest of techniques for identifying and establishing legal title to cattle. Ownership or "ranch" brands can be registered with the Department of Agriculture and serve to deter cattle rustling. One drawback to branding is lower hide value; some also consider it inhumane.

Brands used for individual animal identification usually consist of three or four numbers. This format permits quick identification of animals from a distance. Common locations for brands are the hip, rib, thigh, or shoulder; brands are easily applied to these locations on animals restrained in a squeeze chute, and they are easily seen from a distance. Characters are typically 3 or 4 inches high, with the smaller size used on young cattle and the larger size on mature cattle. Handles on the hot iron should be at least 2 1/2 to 3 inches long. Standard irons can be purchased commercially from livestock supply companies.

Freeze Branding

Freeze branding involves application of supercooled irons to the hide. This destroys the pigment-producing cells (melanocytes) in hair follicles, with minimum damage to the follicle itself. When branding is done correctly, white hair replaces pigmented hair, resulting in a legible brand. Freeze branding black or dark-pigmented cattle produces a highly visible brand due to the contrast in color. Legible brands can also be produced on lighter pigmented cattle. On white cattle, however, it is necessary to destroy the hair follicle and create a "bald" or "firebrand" effect.

This information is from the Florida Cow-Calf Management, 2nd Edition - Practicing Good Management. It is available in the DeSoto County Extension Office for $10.00

Dave Prichard, Ronnie Hartzog, Sharon Fox Gamble, and Ed Jennings

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