Cattle Brand
noun
Definition of Cattle Brand
Cattle brand refers to the unique mark that is burned into the hide of a cow, calf, bull, and other farm animals using a heated branding iron.
This is done to identify ownership and prevent theft, as well as to distinguish animals from different ranches.
The process involves heating the branding iron in a fire or electricity until it’s hot to sear the animal’s fur and hide. The branding iron is then pressed onto the animal’s hide—mostly on the hip, shoulder, or thigh—and held for a few seconds to leave a permanent mark.
Cattle branding is a traditional practice that dates back many centuries and is still widely used today. It's not only a means of identification and theft prevention, but it's also an important aspect in the marketing of leather goods.
The leather industry has specific terminologies for branding hide, such as the “Colorado branded” (Collie) hide which refers to the placement of the brand on the animal’s side. Though it doesn’t necessarily mean the animal is from Colorado.
On the other hand, “Butt Branded” hide pertains to one that has been branded on the portion of the skin covering the animal’s rump area, while “native hide” doesn’t have a brand.
Cattle branding marks are often used as a design element on leather products such as belts and wallets because they add a unique touch to the items.
The use of cattle branding marks in leather goods has become popular due to the growing interest in Western fashion and the appeal of vintage and traditional styles.
These marks can be incorporated into leather goods in several ways, including embossing, engraving, or burning the brand directly onto the leather.
Do you know that American Bench Craft cattle branding is authentic? Our brand marks are not embossed or engraved, but are real scars the animal obtained during their lifetime.
Here is a short video on how we made a leather bike chain wallet that features an authentic cattle brand:
You can find these products in our Scarred Range Collection. They include wallets, coasters, whiskey glass leather sleeves, and much more.
Some have branding marks while others have devil’s rope scarring sustained when the animal ran into barbed wire. When you own such a leather item, you’ll essentially be telling the animal’s story.
Example of Cattle Brand in a sentence
“The cattle brand visible on the wallet had a vintage look and also indicated who the animal previously belonged to.”
Synonyms
Animal tattoo, identification mark, herd mark.
Related terms for Cattle Brand