STOCK BRANDING

Shannon News, 22 April 1927, Page 4

STOCK BRANDING

BRANDING FLUID AN IMPROVEMENT. A SUBSTANCE FOR SHEEP. For years past the branding of cattle and the better marking of sheep have been two subjects attracting great attention on the part of farmers. The damage done to hides through the methods of branding on i the rump has been emphasised by tanners recently, and farmers in their own interest have been trying to effect an improvement. Branding on the cheek was instituted with the idea of saving .a great portion of the damage, but in big herds this method is regarded as a nuisance. The latest idea in cattle branding comes from Australia, and consists of a branding fluid which is said to give wonderful results, lasting in a permanent manner. This mixture is now being tried out by experts in Dominion and the results, which will not be available for some time yet, will be awaited with interest by the farming community. Hand-in-hand with the cattlebranding system comes news of an invention for t**e better branding or sheep with a substance, Which while lasting from shearing to shearing, will easily t come out in the scouring process. Everyone knows that enormous damage is done to wool each season through tar branding, but few of the fluids at present used are entirely satisfactory. The latest idea is the invention or a Dunedih chemist, and this is now being thoroughly tested.