BRANDING OF STOCK.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 981, 23 November 1910, Page 8

BRANDING OF STOCK.

•;.I,"BEP.ORT/OF"A COMMITTEE. , ■Recently. si . committee of pastoralists, consisting; of Messrs. D. D. Macfarlane, W. Jlajv W. jfacfarlane, J. G. Rutherford, and J. "Wilson, was set up to con- ! sider schemes submitted to the Agricultural, Department for distinguishing between. 'live stock of different owners. The i committee has now reported to tho House i of Representatives that it had 57 schemes . placed'before it. Many of them showed a great deal of. ingenuity, but tliey ran more in the. direction of .providing, for numerically ear-marking sheep-than supplying to owners ii K simple " but distinct ■mark "\rtri<sh would, not 'become obliterated,, and the committee think that an eflort should be made to find tho largest number of marks which can be made by pliers, -which.cotfld remain distinct during, the sheep's life, and yet be easy of application'. A number of, the schemes provided for labels and studs being put into sheep' 6 ears, but whilst suitable for stud sheep, tho comraitte© did not . think .it would be possible •to adopt such a scheme for; ear-marking the sheep of the Dominion. The samo applies to tho suggested. burning . or' branding a- mark on face. The committee thinks '-Department should take steps to adopt'a scheme on certain essential lines wluch it'lays down." The registration of -j> • • 011 labels, was considered, and it is recommended that when any amendment of the Stock Act is made, that it should be permissible for any, owner desiring to register a label to do £0. As there< has been a gene Tally-e---xpresse d.desire to permit the registration or wool bale brands, the committee considers; that the.Patent Designs «and T-rode-n\arks■ Act,-might, be amended so as to Tender permissible the -registration specially, of any wool:bale brand which is" the name of a place, farm', or station.