Freeze Brands and Traditional Branding Irons for Livestock

Freeze Branding Iron in Brass

  • Before placing an order, please contact us through the contact information listed on the website at the top.

    Ordering can be done online by adding the item to your cart and completing the checkout process

  • Our Freeze brands are made from Solid brass for optimal thermal conductivity.

    They will quickly lose their heat (cool) to the surrounding Nitrogen compared to other metals.

    Our freeze brands can also be used as traditional branding irons heating by a torch.

    They are made from 5/8” thick Brass with beveled edges and Stress Relieved to prevent warping

  • Our Freeze Brands have beveled edges around the perimeter to

    1. Reduce Skin Damage

    2. For a Cleaner Brand Impression

    3. Reduce the chance of slipping or smearing sometimes seen with flat brands.

  • Use the sizing guide below to help determine the best overall height and character proportions for your brand. Most brand registrars issue certificates only as a general representation of the brand. They do not supply vector files, exact dimensions, or expect a perfect digital facsimile of the artwork shown on the certificate. What matters is that the final brand remains materially the same as the registered design. For example, if the registered brand is a T with a backward R to the right and a hat above it, those elements and their positions must stay consistent.

    Our job is to recreate the design from the certificate image while making practical adjustments needed for real-world freeze branding. This may include refining proportions, spacing, stroke thickness, and overall height so the brand aligns with industry sizing standards and produces a clear, readable mark on livestock.

  • It’s recommended to to avoid areas that see a lot of movement as the brand image can be come distorted over time with muscle growth.

    The best place to brand is on flat area with low muscle tissue.

    Check your brand certificate from the registry if there is instruction on where to place the brand

  • We recommend for humane reasons and for reducing scaring, to use the Freeze Branding Method

  • Unfortunately our Livestock Branding Irons are not compatible with Electric Branding Iron Handles.

  • Branding Livestock can double the value of your livestock and protect your investment.

    With theft being a growing problem, it is unfortunately common to hear stories of Transport Trucks coming by in the middle of the night and stealing livestock.

Livestock Freeze Brand Sizing Guide

Adult Cattle — Character Height

For adult cattle, use 3-inch characters when the brand is letters only.
If the design includes an element above or below the characters (such as a bar, roofline, or quarter-circle), size the brand by overall height, not character height. In these cases, keep the full brand within a maximum overall height of 4 inches, with internal characters typically around 2.3–2.6 inches.

References:
• Livestock Identification Services Ltd. (Alberta, Canada) – Brand Construction & Application Notes
• Oklahoma State University Extension – AFS-3250 “Freeze Branding Cattle”
• Virginia Cooperative Extension – “Cattle Identification: Freeze Branding”

Calves — Character Height

For calves, use 2½-inch characters when the brand is letters only.
If the design includes an overhead or underneath element, follow the same approach as adult cattle: size by overall height, keeping the full brand within 4 inches, with proportionally smaller characters inside.

References:
• Livestock Identification Services Ltd. (Alberta, Canada) – Freeze Branding & Livestock ID Guidelines
• Virginia Cooperative Extension – “Cattle Identification: Freeze Branding”
• Oklahoma State University Extension – AFS-3250

Multi-Use (Calves + Adult Cattle) — Character Height

For brands intended for both calves and adult cattle, use 2.4–2.7-inch characters when the design contains only letters.
If the brand includes a symbol above or below the characters, size it by overall height, keeping the total design within a maximum of 4 inches, which maintains clear readability across both age groups.

References:
• Livestock Identification Services Ltd. (Alberta, Canada) – Brand Construction Notes
• Oklahoma State University Extension – AFS-3250
• Virginia Cooperative Extension – “Cattle Identification: Freeze Branding”

Horses — Character Height

For horses, use 2-inch characters for letter-only brands.
When the brand includes an overhead or underneath element, size the brand by overall height, keeping the full design within a maximum of 3 inches, with smaller internal characters as needed.

References:
• Livestock Identification Services Ltd. (Alberta, Canada) – Equine Identification & Branding Standards
• University Extension Horse-Identification Guidelines (multiple state extension services)

All sizing recommendations provided on this site are general guidelines based on common industry and university sources. Actual results may vary depending on animal age, handling, technique, and environmental conditions. Users are responsible for their own branding practices and outcomes. No liability is assumed for errors, misuse, or damages resulting from the application of this information.