To enhance overall production and maintain proper records on cattle inventory, cattle owners place a high urgency on categorizing individual cattle. To do this, permanent identification is required for every animal. That is where branding comes in. Branding is a means of livestock identification that has been around for thousands of years. While hot branding has been the leading method for many years, advancements in branding methods have led to freeze branding becoming a favorable option for livestock identification. 

The Freeze Branding Process 

Freeze branding is a branding process that utilizes extremely cold branding irons to alter the hair follicles of livestock. The process requires the complete removal of hair from the branding site so that the extremely cold branding iron goes directly onto the skin. When hair grows back to the freeze branding site, the pigmentation of the cattle’s hair is absent — resulting in a clearly identifiable brand. The complete process involves the following steps: 

• The iron is chilled to -300 degrees Fahrenheit in liquid nitrogen.
• The brand site is thoroughly cleaned and any foreign materials are removed.
• Fly spray may be applied to ensure the animal remains still.
• Room temperature alcohol is poured over the brand site, removing oil from the skin
• Immediately after soaking with alcohol, the branding iron is quickly pressed onto the brand site and applied with 35 – 45 pounds of pressure for a specific amount of time depending on the color of the animal. Light-colored livestock requires longer branding periods compared to darker cattle. 
• Once the branding is complete, the iron is returned for re-cooling. 

Freeze Branding Benefits 

Freeze branding offers a wealth of benefits to both cattle and cattle owners, including:  

• Essentially painless process
  High-quality brands visible from a distance of up to 50 meters, no matter the time of year
• Clearer, less blotchy or distorted brands
• Brands that cannot be removed or lost, unlike other branding methods such as tags
• Reduced potential for infection

Professional Freeze Branding Supplier

Since 1926, Domer’s Inc has served homes and businesses in and around the Okeechobee, Florida area. From branding products to well drilling, Domer’s has set and exceeded a high standard of dependable, quality services for more than 90 years. For more information about our retail store products or our state-of-the-art machine shop services, give us a call today at 863-763-3417.