LIVE STOCK MARKING.

Wanganui Herald, Volume XXXXV, Issue 13036, 1 April 1910, Page 4

LIVE STOCK MARKING.

The Department of Agriculture is inviting applications’ for a system of distinguishing between live stock of different owners, by ear-marking or otherwise. It is proposed to appoint a committee of paatoralists to report upon the merits of any systems that are submitted for that purpose.’. At present considerable, difficulty is experienced in regard to the branding and car-marking of stock, so as * to' prevent clashing of brands and ear-marks. The troubel is eceentuated by the fact that cattle, sheep, and horses are continually changing hands, and passing from one district to another and being generally mixed up all over the Dominion. Consequently a- brand or ear-mark that might bo claimed by a particular individual or be peculiar to a district in; this island is found to clash with the distinguishing marks on stock in the other island, and vice versa. Some years ago Mr T. Walker, then manager of the Levin State Farm, submitted to the Department a most simple and effective brand, in which the letters of the alphabet were so arranged that, thousands upon thousands of different marks could be made up without in any way clashing. -Without exhausting the letters of the alphabet, and not using more than two on a single brand, over 10,000 distinctive brands, if we mistake not, ran be designed. Mr Walker’s idea '.was that particular letters should be allocated to' different counties or districts, which scheme he believed would prevent . the difficulties now being experienced. Mr Walker will probably again place his suggestion , befoje the Department.'