Montana Brand Rerecord Period Completed

On Jan. 1, the Montana Department of Livestock Brand Rerecord period ended. Brand Rerecord is a one year period in which Montana brand owners renew their brands with the state to ensure an accurate record of livestock brands that are still in use. Brand Rerecord began in 1921 and occurs every 10 years.

As of Jan. 1, 2021, there were 55,567 brands recorded with the Department of Livestock. By Dec. 31, 2021, 47,663 brands were rerecorded. During the rerecord year, the Department of Livestock also recorded 1,000 new brands and completed over 3,000 brand transfers. Brands that were not rerecorded in 2021 are now inactive. Once a brand is inactive, applicants must re-apply for the brand as a new brand.

“This was a demanding year for the Brands Office, processing nearly 50,000 brands,” said administrator Ethan Wilfore. “We understand the struggles faced by producers this past year but appreciate that many were still timely to prioritize and rerecord their brands.”

All brand owners who rerecorded their brands in 2021 should have received a new brand certificate in the mail. Brand owners who did not receive their new certificate in the mail or are unsure if their brand was rerecorded should contact the Montana Department of Livestock Brands Enforcement Division at 406-444-2045 as soon as possible.

For more information, visit https://liv.mt.gov/.