Missouri Livestock Brands

Branding is one of the oldest ways to permanently identify livestock. It serves as an excellent safeguard against livestock theft, loss or dispute. Currently, Missouri maintains a list of approximately 5,000 recorded brands. Those brands are available online through Missouri’s Electronic Brand Book or in printed form from the Department’s Animal Health Division. Copies of the Brand Book can be purchased for $15.00.

About Missouri Livestock Brands

In Missouri, it is a felony to brand someone else’s animals or to efface, deface or obliterate any livestock brand. It is also illegal to use any brand for branding horses, cattle, sheep, mules or asses unless the brand has been recorded with the Department of Agriculture. For identification within the herd, livestock can be branded with unregistered Arabic numbers if they are used in conjunction with recorded brands. Brands used for identification within the herd are not considered proof of ownership.

Once brands are recorded with the Department of Agriculture, they become the personal property of the owner. Registered brands may be transferred from one individual to another. When transferring a brand, the back of the certificate must be signed by both parties and notarized, then sent to the Department along with the required transfer fee and additional documentation, when required. A notarized document that proves a brand was sold, assigned or transferred will be accepted in lieu of the brand certificate.

In 1992, changes to the brand law made cryo-branding or freeze-branding legal and gives it the same status as hot-iron branding. Freeze branding shows up well on dark-colored livestock.

Registering Livestock Brands

Legislation passed in 1971 requires the Missouri Department of Agriculture to be responsible for the registering of livestock brands. Brands must be recorded as required by Missouri’s Marks and Brands of Animal Law to prove ownership, and to be considered legal evidence in a court of law.

Under the law, individuals can register new brands, or they can apply to use brands that have been released. The state will reject a brand if that particular design is already registered. The brand can be registered for use on the shoulder, rib or hip on either side of the animal. Placement (left or right side) is determined by standing behind the animal. Brands must be three (3) inches or larger in diameter and more than a single character. Brands that have sharp points on the lettering or sharp angles tend to create burn-out and may appear blotchy and hard to read. Freeze branding works best and is more visible on darker animals because the hair grows back in a light shade.

A livestock brand is not intended to be a logo and does not need to be registered to be used as such. A livestock brand however must be registered with the Missouri Department of Agriculture Division of Animal Health before branding any animal.

The online application for Brand Registration can be found here: Application for Brand Registration.

Brand Fees

The fees for registering a brand are as follows:

  • Registration fee: $35
  • Maintenance fee: $20
  • Copy of Brand Book: $15
  • Transfer fee: $10

Registered Brand Search Tools