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Montana Brand Database

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Anonymous

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MCA Launches Montana Brands Searchable Database



Source: Montana Cattlemen’s Association (MCA)

February 26, 2008



Billings, Mont. ~ The Montana Cattlemen’s Association (MCA) is pleased to announce that it has launched the Montana Brands Searchable Database, an online version of the MCA Cattlemen’s Brand Book Reference Manual. The searchable database contains Montana’s approximately 54,000 registered brands that are accessible to all current members of the organization.



“I am pleased with the outcome of the brand book. We have invested a tremendous amount of time and energy into collecting and converting the state’s brand information into an electronic database—it seems only logical that we adapt this information into a 21st century tool!” said MCA Vice President Kim Baker.



Working with the Montana Department of Livestock, MCA began compiling the data for the brand books in 2005. Through the tireless efforts of the Brand Book Committee, organized by Kim Baker, the first edition of the brand books were released in November 2007.



“The need for a 48-hour trace back is actually what spurred us to offer this resource on the web,” continued Baker. “MCA opposes the idea of a mandatory electronic animal ID system. Montana’s hot iron brand laws provide an effective, low-cost system for tracking the movement of livestock. This system is available online 24/7, and brand information will be updated every three months.”



Anyone can log onto the Montana Cattlemen’s Association website at: www.montanacattlemen.org and click on the brand search button. Follow the directions to create a user account, which will allow you to search the system three times free of charge. A one-year membership to MCA costs $50.00 and will allow unlimited access to search the brands database for one year.



Brands can be searched by major and minor characters, the brand owner, and the county of range. You may also search through brand position and species. Search results will provide a copy of the brand, the locations, and registration information of the owner.



“This has been an excellent project for MCA. We just completed printing the second edition of the book, and have sold more than 600 copies of the first run,” noted Baker. “I am glad that we can offer all of this information in an electronic format.”



montanacattlemen.org.
 
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Anonymous

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Big Muddy rancher said:
That's good news OT.

Nice to see Montana catching up to the 20th century. :roll: :lol:

We been trying to get someone to take this on for sometime-- tried to get 4-H and/or FFA to take it as a project few years back- they turned it down...Finally had to finance and print our own local book (which sold like hotcakes and would have made the kids lots of money)...
Glad the MCA is doing it now- because usually when someone calls me with a stray or wants to know who a brand belongs to, my book is in my pickup...Long overdue....
 

Hanta Yo

Well-known member
because usually when someone calls me with a stray or wants to know who a brand belongs to, my book is in my pickup...Long overdue....

Don't you have a toll free number to the Brand enforcement agency? I just make a phone call if I don't have my books with me
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
Hanta Yo said:
because usually when someone calls me with a stray or wants to know who a brand belongs to, my book is in my pickup...Long overdue....

Don't you have a toll free number to the Brand enforcement agency? I just make a phone call if I don't have my books with me

Yep- but that only works during working hours Mon-Fri...I sometimes call the local office because they have the computer- but they close the office down on weekends/slow days and usually when someone is calling me, its because they couldn't get anyone there...

This will make it handy- since the local book only had the brands of the folks living in the 7 neighboring counties- and lately we've been getting a lot of folks from all over the state getting leases...
 

HAY MAKER

Well-known member
Old Timer,keep some extra copies in your pickup,then when someone calls about a brand tell em they need a book,and you know where to get em :D :D
good luck
 
A

Anonymous

Guest
HAY MAKER said:
Old Timer,keep some extra copies in your pickup,then when someone calls about a brand tell em they need a book,and you know where to get em :D :D
good luck

Yep-- I'm definitely going to pass this site on to a couple of fellas that are always calling me :roll: :wink:
There have been many asking for this for sometime- and I know the Head of the Brands Enforcement Division--whos a technology tinkerer- has been hoping they could get something going like this for sometime...
 

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