"We prevent livestock theft by denying a market for stolen animals through recording of brands and inspection of animals."

The art of branding started with the Egyptians 4,000 years ago. Spaniards introduced branding to the New World as early as 1519 when the vaqueros of Spanish explorer Hernando Cortez burned three crosses into the hides of his cattle. Like other Spanish brands, the Cortez brand was patterned after a coat of arms.
 
By the time branding became established in the United States, symbols changed and soon a new language evolved around the brand to include Running W's, Rocking R's, Flying J's, bars, slashes, rails and boxes.
 
The earliest known Oregon brand belonged to Russell Dement who settled near Myrtle Point around 1849. Dement used the brand, not on cattle, but on five elk calves he used as pack animals. He later traded the elk for beef cattle. Dement's "D" brand is still in use today.
 
As cattle business grew, look-alike brands sprung up and cattlemen started fighting over brands. The result was a law in 1894 requiring that all brands be registered with county clerks. The law established a record of brand ownership in Oregon; the rancher who registered his brand first had the right to use it.
 
Disputes crossed county lines, however, and in 1915, a new Oregon law put brand recording in the hands of the state veterinarian. Brands became valid statewide instead of by county. To settle disputes, the 1917 legislature created a Brands Adjusting Board. The Board functioned until 1931 when the Oregon State Department of Agriculture was created. Today, the responsibility for recording and inspecting brands belongs to the Department's Animal Health & Identification Division.
 

It is critical that a brand owner notify the Oregon Department of Agriculture when his or her address changes. The department mails courtsey renewal notices to the lask known address. If that address is not current, the notice may never reach the brand owner.
 
Animal Identification Brand office
 

To report found or estray livestock send e-mail. or contact Jack Noble, Field Operations Manager at 503-986-4681.

Available livestock brands
 
Branding information
 
Livestock Brand Application (in pdf format)
 
Record a brand
 
Renew a livestock brand
 

What do I do about somebody´s livestock coming onto my property?
 
For this purpose "livestock" means cattle and all equidae (horses, mules, donkeys, asses, etc.).
 
Our livestock inspectors have no authority to do anything about emu or ostrich, bison, cervids, swine, sheep, goats or other "non-traditional livestock."
 
For information on livestock districts and open range

for any livestock to be transported out of the state of Oregon. (503) 986-4681  
 
4. Transportation certificates must accompany livestock being transported and must be delivered to the brand inspector when such transportation is to any point where brand inspection is required by law.

Created for use by law enforcement officials, this handbook gives an overview of livestock transportation requirements for horses and cattle. (These are pdf files and may take a while to download.)

For this purpose "livestock" means cattle and all equidae (horses, mules donkeys, asses, etc.).
 
Our livestock inspectors have no authority to do anything about sheep, goats, swine, emu or ostrich, bison, cervids, or other "non-traditional livestock."
 
Send e-mail to report Lost or Stolen Livestock or contact Jack Noble, Field Operations Manager 503-986-4681.

The department must license anyone wishing to conduct a public sale of horses other than their own.  A tempoprary one day license is available for special sales.  If you wish to hold a public sale please complete the following application.

Ownership inspection (brand inspection) fees
 
When is ownership required for horses (& all other equidae)?
 
When is ownership inspection required for cattle?
 
Ownership Inspection

Get a list of brand inspectors.