Brand Design
What New Brands are Allowed in Manitoba?
All new brands must meet certain rules for their location and the characters and symbols used. Any new brand that does not conform to these specifications cannot be registered for use on livestock in Manitoba.
Positions Allowed for New Brands
By regulation, new brands can only be registered in the following locations:
· Bison – Left Hip, Right Hip
· Cattle – Left Hip, Right Hip, Left Shoulder, Right Shoulder
· Horse – Left Hip, Right Hip, Left Shoulder, Right Shoulder
The brand must be applied in the position on the animal that has been registered. If the brand is applied in a different position, it is a completely different brand. For example, if you register a brand on the left hip but then apply it on the right hip, you may have branded your animals using a brand already owned by someone else.
In the past, brands were allowed to be registered on the ribs of cattle. Old brands registered in this location can be renewed or transferred to immediate family members. No new brands can be registered on the ribs of cattle.
Designs Allowed for New Brands
The designs for brands consist of characters, often with symbols positioned above and/or below them. All new brands must meet rules for the types of characters and symbols used. Characters are limited to specific letters, numbers, and design characters. Depending on the letter of the alphabet, letter characters may be oriented in the forward, backward or lazy left (lying on left side) position. Only specific design characters such as an arrow or triangle are allowed. The brand layout must also comply with rules for how these characters and symbols are positioned and grouped together in the brand design.
Some old brands use characters, symbols and brand layouts that are no longer allowed for new brands. These arbitrary or grandfathered brands can be transferred to immediate family members or as part of a farm sale.
Contacts
If you require additional information about brand designs or applying for new brands, please contact Teresa Ziegler by phone at 431-271-0161 or by email at Teresa.Ziegler@gov.mb.ca.
If you require additional information on general branding questions, please contact Juanita Kopp by phone at 204-825-4302 or by email at Juanita.Kopp@gov.mb.ca.
