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ODA Animal Health and Identification Division
Oregon agriculture wheat image

Livestock identification
Mission Oregon Trans. Certificate Livestock Brand Inspector
Brand history Livestock Transportation Book
Change of address Lost or stolen livestock
Found or estray livestock One day horse sale license
Livestock brands Ownership inspection
Livestock districts/open range Transfer brand ownership
Mission
"We prevent livestock theft by denying a market for stolen animals through recording of brands and inspection of animals."
Brand history
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.
 
Change of address
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.
 
AHID Brand office
 
Found or estray livestock
To report found or estray livestock send e-mail. or contact Jack Noble, Field Operations Manager at 503-986-4681.
Livestock brands
Available livestock brands
 
Branding information
 
Livestock Brand Application (in pdf format)
 
Record a brand
 
Renew a livestock brand
 
Livestock districts/open range
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
Oregon Trans. Certificate
OREGON TRANSPORTATION
CERTIFICATE
1. This certificate will permit the transportation of any livestock consigned by the owner or
his agent to any place with in the state of Oregon.
2. If livestock transported does not bear the recorded brand of the owner, he should be
prepared to furnish other proof of ownership to the brand inspector at destination of
transportation.
3. Arrangements must be made with the brand inspector by the owner for a brand inspection
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.
OREGON DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
Livestock Identification
635 CAPITOL STREET NE
SALEM, OREGON 97301-2532
(503) 986-4681
FOR ASSISTANCE OR ANY QUESTIONS
 
Download a copy of the Oregon Transportation Certificate. It is a pdf form (36 KB), please print the form and fill in the information to have with you during transportation within the state.

Livestock Transportation Book
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.)
Lost or stolen livestock
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.
One day horse sale license
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
Ownership inspection (brand inspection) fees
 
When is ownership required for horses (& all other equidae)?
 
When is ownership inspection required for cattle?
Transfer brand ownership
When a brand owner dies, Oregon law requires that an official Transfer of Ownership application must be completed within six months of the date of death. This applies whether the deceased was the sole owner or was one of two or more registered owners. By law, if the transfer is not completed within six months after death of an owner, the decedent's ownership rights (and consequently, the ownership rights of the heirs) are terminated..
 
To maintain continuous ownership of your brand, notify this office and file the Transfer of Ownership application as soon as possible after the death of a brand owner. Contact the Brand Recorder at 503-986-4681 or send e-mail for details of the process for your specific situation.
Livestock Brand Inspector
Get a list of brand inspectors.

Page updated: January 25, 2012