All about the ancient tribes
It should be recooled to -300 degrees F before it is used again. Even when quickly returned to the container after use this may require 4 to 5 minutes. Irons left out of nitrogen for longer periods of time will require more time to chill before they can be used again.
Freeze Branding TimesAnimalCoolantApplication TimeHorseDry Ice & Alcohol20-24 SecondsCalfLiquid Nitrogen21-24 SecondsDry Ice & Alcohol40-50 SecondsCowLiquid Nitrogen25-30 Seconds
two to four weeks
A fairly new and less painful method, freeze branding uses irons chilled in liquid nitrogen. The hair that grows back where the brand was applied has no pigment, resulting in a white brand. Therefore, when freeze branding a gray or white horse, the brand must be kept on longer to give the appearance of a hot brand.
Freeze branding was developed by Dr. … Some of the benefits are that it causes almost no permanent harm to the animal’s skin, it is far less painful than a hot-iron brand, the freeze brands are highly visible no matter the time of year, and there is less blotching and distortion with a freeze brand.
The branding application is virtually painless to the animal. Does it hurt? The coldness of the application will help to act as an anesthetic; however the initial effect can cause slight discomfort.
Most horses are branded around weaning time when they are 5 to 8 months old. A variety of types of brands are used.
In the United States, branding of horses is not generally mandated by the government; however, there are a few exceptions: captured Mustangs made available for adoption by the BLM are freeze branded on the neck, usually with the AABS or with numbers, for identification.
No matter what the brand is made of, it should be from ¼ to ½ inch thick on the face and from 1 ½ to 2 inches from the face to the back of the iron. Brands can be from 2 to 4 inches in height (shorter brands can be used for younger horses because they tend to grow in size as the horse gets older).
6 to 12 months
Branding in American slavery
Slave owners used extreme punishments to stop flight, or escape. They would often brand the slaves’ palms, shoulders, buttocks, or cheeks with a branding iron. Branding was sometimes used to mark recaptured runaway slaves to help the locals easily identify the runaway.
Unlike tattoos that have can be removed with laser surgery or piercing holes that can heal, branding is permanent. Branding isn’t a do-it-yourself, at-home activity. It’s a painful process that should only be done by professionals in a sanitary environment who are trained in handling sterilized equipment.
Brands are a commonly used means to identify individual horses as an aid in farm management and as a theft deterrent. Freeze branding, also called cryogenic branding, uses extreme cold to alter the growth of the hair in the brand contact area. …