Branding irons have been a staple for farmers with livestock since the ancient Roman era. Such tools allow livestock owners to leave an identifying mark on the animals so that they can claim ownership should the animals wander off of the farmer’s property or be mixed with other animals at a fair or livestock auction. Branding irons can also be used to mark wood, leather, and even steaks.

Types of Branding Irons

Branding irons were traditionally made of wrought iron forged with an identifying crest or mark and attached to a long stick. These implements were heated in an open fire and then quickly placed on the animal. Today there are a number of different types of branding irons. These include:

1. Traditional Branding Irons – The classic, forged irons are still used today. This type of iron has the advantage of being easy to use and relatively inexpensive. However, variations in temperature from the open fire can sometimes produce inferior results.
2. Electric Branding Irons – This type of branding iron has a heating element built into the implement and, thus, can provide a more even heat distribution.
3. Propane Branding Irons – These branding irons are useful in places where electricity is not available and still provide a steady, consistent source of heat to the iron.
4. Freeze Branding Irons – These branding irons use extreme cold, rather than heat, to leave a mark, and are best suited to marking livestock rather than wood or other materials. They use dry ice to chill the implement. It is then placed on a shaved patch on the animal. The cold will change the pigmentation of the hair follicles, so, for example, a dark cow will have a white brand. On animals with light-colored hair, the cold brand will stop the hair from growing altogether and, thus, create the brand.

Experienced Branding Iron Professionals

At Domer’s, we’ve been providing ranchers and farmers quality branding equipment and services since 1926. To learn more about the complete line of branding irons we carry, including custom cattle irons and freeze branding cattle irons, visit Domers Inc. online or call us today at 863-763-3417.