1. Texas Ranching & Cattle Branding
The Portal to Texas History
Each slide has questions that will appear on the mouse click.
Use the questions to discuss the picture and introduce the topic.
Jenny Thomason

2. How do you think brands could change the west?
Why are brands important to ranchers?
Whose brand do you think the W with the horns belongs to?
What are the purposes of brands?
Western National Bank of Denton. Denton County Brands, Book, n.d.; digital images, ( : accessed January 25, 2011), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, crediting Denton Public Library, Denton, Texas.

3. What is the name of this brand?
Would this be a brand that was easily identifiable on the hide of cattle?
What is the name of this brand?
JoJoJo Branding Iron, Photograph, n.d.; digital image, ( : accessed January 25, 2011), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, crediting Cattle Raisers Museum, Fort Worth, Texas.
Why is an easily identifiable brand important?
Do you think this brand is shorter or longer than other brands? Explain your answer.

4. Are there any dangers involved with branding animals?
What are these men doing?
Are there any dangers involved with branding animals?
Why are so many men involved in this process?
Swenson Brothers. The Story of the S.M.S. Ranch, Book, [1922]; digital images, ( : accessed January 25, 2011), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, crediting UNT Libraries, Denton, Texas.
Who brought the concept of branding to the United States?

5. Why are they facing different ways?
These pictures represent the principal stockmen of western and northwestern Texas.
Why are they facing different ways?
Why are the brands in different locations?
What information is in the description under the pictures?
Loving, George B.. The Stock manual : containing the name, post office address, ranch location, marks and brands of all the principal stockmen of western and northwestern Texas, showing marks and brands on electrotype cuts as they appear on the animal., Book, 1881; digital images, ( : accessed January 21, 2011), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, crediting Amon Carter Museum, Fort Worth, Texas.
Why do some have more than one brand?

6. What is happening in this picture?
Where do you think this ranch is located?
What are the fences built from? Why was that material used?
Teacher Notes: An example of cattle branding in a Big Bend rock corral. A herd of cattle are standing in the upper left corner of the picture. One cowboy is on a horse, and is looking back at the cattle herd. At least seven cowboys in the background are watching one cowboy brand one steer.
Several cowboys branding cattle in Big Bend], Photograph, n.d.; digital image, ( : accessed January 25, 2011), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, crediting Marfa Public Library, Marfa, Texas.
What do you see in the background?

7. What is this a picture of?
Would this brand be easy or difficult to duplicate? Why or why not?
Teacher Notes: Photograph of the brand "21" on the rump of a red-colored cow.
Cattle Brand "21", Photograph, n.d.; digital image, ( : accessed January 25, 2011), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, crediting Cattle Raisers Museum, Fort Worth, Texas.
What is the name of this brand?

8. What is the propane tank for?
What do you think is happening in this picture?
What will the white fencing be used for?
Teacher Notes: The Staggs Branding Table and Brad Staggs. Photo circa 1940: Henrietta, Texas.
The Staggs Branding Table], Photograph, ca. 1940; digital image, ( : accessed January 25, 2011), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, crediting Clay County Historical Society, Henrietta, Texas.
What is the propane tank for?

9. What do you think will happen when the man lets the calf up?
What is happening in this picture?
Which cowboy has the most difficult job?
Teacher Notes: In this photograph, there are two men branding what appears to be a calf in a wooden pen. The man holding the brand is fairly young, wearing loose, lightly-colored clothing, a hat and tall boots. He is facing a slightly older man who is bending over the calf. There is cattle in the background and another man on a horse.
Cattle Branding], Photograph, n.d.; digital image, ( accessed January 25, 2011), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, crediting crediting Cattle Raisers Museum, Fort Worth, Texas.
Why is the man sitting on the calf wearing chaps?

10. What do you notice about the landscape of this picture?
Teacher Notes: Copy negative of four ranch hands branding a cow. In the center of the photo one man is branding the cow while three other men hold it down. The fourth stands watching off to the right side while a fifth is sitting and watching. The men are dressed in boots and cowboy hats. A herd of cattle, and mountains form a backdrop.
Wallace, Sally Brittingham. Cowboys working branding table, Photograph, ca. 1950
; digital image, ( accessed January 25, 2011), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, Albany, Texas.
Which region of Texas do you think this ranch is located in?
What are the characteristics of this region of Texas?

11. Try to identify the names of the following brands.
What do you notice about the names of these cities?
Teacher Notes: The booklet contains a collection of many of the livestock brands used to identify cattle, horses, sheep, and goats by early Denton County Ranchers.
Western National Bank of Denton. Denton County Brands, Book, n.d.; digital images, ( : accessed January 25, 2011), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, crediting Denton Public Library, Denton, Texas.