Re-registration period begins August 31.
By Chrissy LeClear
Once every 10 years, the state of Texas requires all brands to be re-registered in the counties in which the rancher operates. Next month, the re-registration period begins.
Michelle Carlile, assistant director of law enforcement, brand and inspection services for Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association, says the re-registration period runs from August 31, 2021, through February 28, 2022. If a brand is not claimed by the deadline, it will become available to the public.
All brands, regardless of original registration date, must be re-registered with the county clerk in the county or counties where the livestock reside to be considered a legal means of ownership. Some counties now offer online brand registration, as well. When registering, each brand needs a separate form. The cost of brand registrations vary by county; however, the average cost is $26 per brand. Brands are specific to each county by design and location. Additionally, ear marks, electronic devices and tattoos must be registered.
Texas began keeping brand records, an essential part in identifying livestock across the state, as early as 1836. But since there isn’t a statewide brand registry database, Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association cooperates with all 254 counties to provide the Texas Brand Registration site.
Carlile can’t overemphasize the importance of a brand when it comes to theft prevention.
“When our special rangers interviewed cattle rustlers, they have admitted to going after unbranded cattle first,” she says. “Additionally, if branded cattle are stolen or estray, they are more likely to be recovered than unbranded cattle.”
Once a brand has been registered or re-registered after Aug. 31, 2021, it is active until Aug. 30, 2031. To learn more about brand registration information visit www.tscrabrands.com or contact Michelle Carlile at 817-916-1771 or [email protected]
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Chrissy LeClear, a graduate student at Oklahoma State University, is the summer intern for Texas & Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association’s communications department.