54-198. Recorded livestock brand; requirements; in-herd identification; prohibited act.

(1) Any person may record a brand, which he or she has the exclusive right to use in this state, and it is unlawful to use any brand for branding any livestock unless the person using such brand has recorded that brand with the Nebraska Brand Committee. A brand is a mark consisting of symbols, characters, numerals, or a combination of such intended as a visual means of identification when applied to the hide of an animal or another method of livestock identification approved by rule and regulation of the brand committee, including an electronic device used for livestock identification. Only a hot iron or freeze brand or other method approved by the brand committee shall be used to brand a live animal.

(2) A hot iron brand or freeze brand may be used for in-herd identification purposes such as for year or production records. With respect to hot iron brands used for in-herd identification, the numerals 0, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9 in singular or triangular position are reserved on both the right and left shoulder of all cattle, except that such shoulder location for a single-number hot iron brand may be used for year branding for in-herd identification purposes, and an alphabetical letter may be substituted for one of the numerals used in a triangular configuration for in-herd identification purposes. Hot iron brands used for in-herd identification shall be used in conjunction with the recorded hot iron brand and shall be on the same side of the animal as the recorded hot iron brand. Freeze branding for in-herd identification may be applied in any location and any configuration with any combination of numerals or alphabetical letters.

(3) It shall be unlawful to knowingly maintain a herd containing one or more animals which the possessor has branded, or caused to be branded, in violation of this section or any other provision of the Livestock Brand Act.

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