Brand is a reliable way of identification

As soon as mankind had private property in the form of livestock, a need arose for its designation. To identify animals, people came up with a brand. It is a sign of a certain form, which, usually with a red-hot iron, was burned on the skin of cattle. Healed scars could not be removed, they remained for life.

A bit of history

In countries with huge areas for grazing livestock, the best way to account for and determine the belonging of animals was the brand. This designation was made with the implementation of certain rules. In the United States, after official registration, they received permission to use it. The special state commission made sure that one animal was labeled with only one brand. The violation was the imposition of one brand on another.

It is difficult to say which people first thought of such identification of animals. It is known that even in Ancient Greece, the staple "Q" was especially valuable to the sturgeon on the croup. According to etymological researches the "brand" came from the Turkic language, it is translated as a mark or a sign.

In European countries, such a distinctive sign served as a kind of passport of horses, clearly indicating at which stud farm they were born. The very first factory hallmarks appeared:

• 1722 - in Gradits;
• 1755 - in Zweibrücken;
• 1768 in Celle;
• 1787 - in Trakenen;
• 1788 - in Neustadt-Dosse.

In addition to confirming the origin of the horse, the brand served as a kind of quality sign. Over time, many private farms in Europe have their own designations. Only in East Prussia, before the 30s of the last century, there were more than 200. Modern stud farms rarely have their own brand.

In the post-Soviet space, Tauren was used for zootechnical registration of livestock. Until now, in Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, on remote mountain pastures, use the old proven grandfather method.

Methods

In addition to cattle, the horse population was also tagged. Methods of harnessing horses:

• Hot. The most ancient way. The red-hot iron burned certain signs on the animal's body. It is still used in a number of countries. It is considered painful for a horse. Today they refuse from him. In the Netherlands and Belgium, it is prohibited by law. Never use a hot tag for a purebred horse .
• Cold. Nitrogen or carbon dioxide is used to cool the brand. The effect of cold on the cells responsible for the color of the coat, provides a discoloration of the hair on the treated area. Do not use for light gray horses. They burn the brand on the hoof. A painless way that does not hurt the animal's skin.
• Tattoo. The tattoo is applied to the mucous lips of the horse. Relatively painless form of labeling. The main advantage - does not spoil the presentation of the animal.
• Chipping. Progressive option, for farm animals has been widely used since the early 21st century. The most humane of all used today.

For livestock use additional techniques:

• Scraped. The ears of animals deprive pieces of skin along the edge of the ear and make holes in the specially designed key, depending on the location of the plucking and the ear (right or left), you can easily read the number of the individual.
• Tattoo. Apply special forceps with a set of numbers. It is placed on the right auricle. For animals of dark color, indigo or mint is used.
• Tags. There are a variety of options, the principle is the same for everyone - they are attached to the ears with a special applicator. Instead of tags use collars. The most popular way to identify cattle.
• Burning on the horns. Numbers burn out on horns. It lasts a lifetime. Disadvantage - a traumatic loss of the horn is possible, it is impossible to apply for lumpy (dead) cattle.

Technology

A distinguishing sign, as described above, can be put in different ways. The technology of some of them (in the post-Soviet space):

• Hot method. The animal is fixed in the machine, and the usual pile is used, but its use is traumatic. A certain part of the animal's body is cut. The brand is heated to 700 ^о С and applied to the skin with light pressure for 1-2 seconds, then treated with a solidol or streptocid emulsion. It is important that the iron has the right temperature. If the heating is insufficient, the brand will be blurred. If excessive - the animal will get a severe thermal burn, which will heal for a long time.
• Cold method. Metal with cold ice or a mixture of it with alcohol is cooled to -80 ^о and applied to the previously cut and rubbed with alcohol portion of the skin. A reliable fixation is a prerequisite. Stamp is held on the skin at least 60 (foals) to 120 (adult horses) seconds.
• Tattoo. It is carried out with special tattoo pincers of different sizes. The mucous of the upper lip of the horse is rubbed with alcohol and a layer of paint is applied (a mixture of carcass with Dutch soot, in a 1: 1 ratio). Produce punctures and they rub the same spray mixture.

Where the brand is put

Only good experts are trusted to burn the brand. This is a mark for life. The quality of the work performed depends on the appearance, and sometimes the health of the individual.

There are several parts of the body on which it is customary to put labels:

• On the neck under the mane:
• On the hoof;
• On the left or right side of the sacrum;
• On the left shoulder-blade - the year of birth and serial number, on the left hip - the brand of the plant (typical for the stud farms of Russia);
• On the back, in the area of the saddle;
• Left or right thigh;
• In rare cases, cheek.

Hallmarks

There are hallmarks digital and alphabetic. Specially designed sketches for emblems of farms or factories. In Europe in the 18-19 centuries there were special signs that marked the unclean horses. In Central Asia, the richer the owner of the horse, the more stigmatized was the stigma, sometimes in it the generic emblem was repeated. European stamps are associated with heraldry. Modern horse breeders are united in tribal unions, they have their own brand. Each sign had its own meaning:

• The elk's horns (among the traks) - a reminder of the Prussian forests, which at that time were rich in large game;
• Arrow - speed;
• Snake - flexibility;
• The eagle is power;
• Edelweiss - testified to the rock origin of the rock;
• The crown is a sign of the nobility of the owner of a horse.

Today, for most European countries, a burnt brand is a relic of the past. Modern technologies make it possible to carry out the procedure of "tagging" the animal almost painlessly. Introduction of the microchip takes a couple of seconds, it is not necessary to collect a whole team of workers to fix the animal. There are no long weeks of healing of open wounds after thermal burns. The chip contains all the necessary information about the animal. Special reading machines help instantly identify any individual.