I was told by a neighbor that in Texas, they just check ownership at the slaughter facilities. If the critter doesn't have the sellers brand they have a case for stolen goods. I don't know if this is true or not.
In SD, on the west river side, whenever you sell or buy cattle, horses, or mules, and possibly buffalo, you are supposed to have a brand inspection or a "legel bill of sale". On the bill of sale, it's only good for 5 head and can't have anyone elses brand on the livestock. All trnsactions are regestered an/or kewpt track of at the head office, so there is a record of who sold what to whom and when. Cost $.70 a head and mileage.
In the situation that Jersey described, when you went to sell an animal with your brand and another brand on it, the inspector could ask you for the proper paperwork for the other brand. If you didn't have that paperwork, you could be charged with stealing.
I was a local brand inspector and would inspect at a salebarn once in awhile, during the bigger runs in the fall.
Brand inspection keeps honest people honest and the crooks will always try to figure out a way around it.
In this state, if you have someone elses animal, you can charge for the keep of said animal until the owner gets it, I believe. But we all just try to get along and help each other out. A little grass ain't worth ruining a friendship or a good neighbor over. Same with fences. If the neighbor don't want to fix his/her share, there are laws to deal with it, but we all feel it's better to stay away from laws and lawyers and just get it taken care of by other means.
When a neighbors critter gets in your pasture, your a pretty poor neighbor if you won't rope and stretch out that critter so his skin gets the wrinkles out and then he can grow bigger! :wink: :lol: :shock: