HONOLULU — Owners of livestock brands in Hawai‘i have until Dec. 31 to re-register their brands with the state Department of Agriculture or risk losing their rights to their brands.
HONOLULU — Owners of livestock brands in Hawai‘i have until Dec. 31 to re-register their brands with the state Department of Agriculture or risk losing their rights to their brands.
Hawai‘i law requires owners of livestock in the state to register their brand to secure its validity and individuality. While it is not mandatory to use brands in Hawai‘i, it is mandatory for owners using brands to register them every five years. The registration fee is $10.
During the period 2016 to 2020, there were 726 registered brands in Hawai‘i.
“Owners of existing brands may re-register at any time,” said Dr. Jason Moniz, veterinarian and manager of the DOA’s Animal Disease Control Branch. “However, if they do not re-register by December 31, they may potentially lose the right to their brand should someone else apply for it.”
Typically, cattle are branded prior to one year of age so owners have a permanent and unique identification on their animals that traces them back to their ownership. In Hawai‘i, there are about 1,100 cattle operations ranging from herds of about 25,000 head of cattle to those with just a few head.
The DOA’s Animal Disease Control Branch reviews brand applications and approves brands after determining that the brand is not the same or similar to others that are registered.
Branding continues to be the most practical and approved means by which cattle ownership is determined, particularly in the western U.S., where most states require cattle moving interstate to be brand inspected.
More info: hdoa.hawaii.gov
If you’ve ever worked on a actual ranch you know branding day is a big deal.