Maverick (animal)
Encyclopedia
Maverick is a term, usually referring to cattle
, for an animal that does not carry a brand
. In the period of the United States open range
, such animals were relatively common. Many cows would give birth in wild or semi-wild conditions, not be located in an annual round up, and their ensuing calf
could thus grow to maturity without having been captured and branded for ownership. The term derived from Samuel Maverick
, who, among his other claims to fame, was notorious for not branding his cattle. Other U.S. terms for unbranded cattle include slick, hairy dick, and, in Spanish
-speaking areas of the Southwest
, orejano. In other parts of the world, different terms are used. In Australia
and New Zealand
, for example, an unbranded animal is a cleanskin.
In the code of the American Old West
, such animals could be branded and claimed by any ranch
er able to capture and brand the animal.
In modern times, there are few true mavericks, as most cattle run on private ranches, usually calving close to a ranch where young calves are easily captured and branded prior to being turned out to grazing leases on public lands. When a mature, unbranded animal is found today, the most common practice is to make a concerted effort to locate a possible owner, and then, if the animal cannot be identified, to put it up for public auction
at a Sheriff's sale, where the proceeds usually cover the cost of impounding the animal and attempting to locate an owner.
In addition to traditional hot branding, animals today may also be marked for identification by freeze branding
, by tattoo
ing, by ear tags, or by having a microchip
embedded into the animal, usually in the neck. However, in the United States, a hot brand is generally the only legally recognized method of animal identification on cattle, though the law varies from state to state.
In some cases, modern animals may be left unbranded for several reasons. This may include a desire not to have the animal marked due to its use as a show animal, particularly in the case of horse
s, or, in cattle, to avoid a scar on the hide if it is to be used for leatherworking. Some modern owners do not brand due to a reluctance to inflict pain on the animal.
Cattle
Cattle are the most common type of large domesticated ungulates. They are a prominent modern member of the subfamily Bovinae, are the most widespread species of the genus Bos, and are most commonly classified collectively as Bos primigenius...
, for an animal that does not carry a brand
Livestock branding
Livestock branding is a technique for marking livestock so as to identify the owner. Originally, livestock branding only referred to a hot brand for large stock, though the term is now also used to refer to other alternative techniques such as freeze branding...
. In the period of the United States open range
Open range
Open range may refer to: vast areas of grassy land that is owned by the federal government.*Rangeland, vast natural landscapes*Open Range, the 2003 Western movie co-starring, co-produced, and directed by Kevin Costner...
, such animals were relatively common. Many cows would give birth in wild or semi-wild conditions, not be located in an annual round up, and their ensuing calf
Calf
Calves are the young of domestic cattle. Calves are reared to become adult cattle, or are slaughtered for their meat, called veal.-Terminology:...
could thus grow to maturity without having been captured and branded for ownership. The term derived from Samuel Maverick
Samuel Maverick
Samuel Augustus Maverick was a Texas lawyer, politician, land baron and signer of the Texas Declaration of Independence...
, who, among his other claims to fame, was notorious for not branding his cattle. Other U.S. terms for unbranded cattle include slick, hairy dick, and, in Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
-speaking areas of the Southwest
Southwestern United States
The Southwestern United States is a region defined in different ways by different sources. Broad definitions include nearly a quarter of the United States, including Arizona, California, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, Oklahoma, Texas and Utah...
, orejano. In other parts of the world, different terms are used. In Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
and New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
, for example, an unbranded animal is a cleanskin.
In the code of the American Old West
American Old West
The American Old West, or the Wild West, comprises the history, geography, people, lore, and cultural expression of life in the Western United States, most often referring to the latter half of the 19th century, between the American Civil War and the end of the century...
, such animals could be branded and claimed by any ranch
Ranch
A ranch is an area of landscape, including various structures, given primarily to the practice of ranching, the practice of raising grazing livestock such as cattle or sheep for meat or wool. The word most often applies to livestock-raising operations in the western United States and Canada, though...
er able to capture and brand the animal.
In modern times, there are few true mavericks, as most cattle run on private ranches, usually calving close to a ranch where young calves are easily captured and branded prior to being turned out to grazing leases on public lands. When a mature, unbranded animal is found today, the most common practice is to make a concerted effort to locate a possible owner, and then, if the animal cannot be identified, to put it up for public auction
Public auction
A public auction is an auction held on behalf of a government in which the property to be auctioned is either property owned by the government, or property which is sold under the authority of a court of law or a government agency with similar authority....
at a Sheriff's sale, where the proceeds usually cover the cost of impounding the animal and attempting to locate an owner.
In addition to traditional hot branding, animals today may also be marked for identification by freeze branding
Livestock branding
Livestock branding is a technique for marking livestock so as to identify the owner. Originally, livestock branding only referred to a hot brand for large stock, though the term is now also used to refer to other alternative techniques such as freeze branding...
, by tattoo
Tattoo
A tattoo is made by inserting indelible ink into the dermis layer of the skin to change the pigment. Tattoos on humans are a type of body modification, and tattoos on other animals are most commonly used for identification purposes...
ing, by ear tags, or by having a microchip
Microchip implant (animal)
A microchip implant is an identifying integrated circuit placed under the skin of a dog, cat, horse, parrot or other animal. The chips are about the size of a large grain of rice and are based on a passive RFID technology....
embedded into the animal, usually in the neck. However, in the United States, a hot brand is generally the only legally recognized method of animal identification on cattle, though the law varies from state to state.
In some cases, modern animals may be left unbranded for several reasons. This may include a desire not to have the animal marked due to its use as a show animal, particularly in the case of horse
Horse
The horse is one of two extant subspecies of Equus ferus, or the wild horse. It is a single-hooved mammal belonging to the taxonomic family Equidae. The horse has evolved over the past 45 to 55 million years from a small multi-toed creature into the large, single-toed animal of today...
s, or, in cattle, to avoid a scar on the hide if it is to be used for leatherworking. Some modern owners do not brand due to a reluctance to inflict pain on the animal.