Being a livestock brand inspector is a physically demanding job that exposes
the inspector to scorching heat in the summer and severe cold in the winter.
So why has Debbie Deter stuck with it for over 20 years?
"I just grew up around cattle," says Deter, who lives in Colorado. "We
had a little farm and a ranch, and when the brand inspector would come to
our place to inspect the cattle, I always thought it was a neat job."
Colorado gives the test for inspectors once a year, so when she got out
of high school, Deter applied and took the test one year later.
Besides a high school education, in Colorado this job requires three years
of livestock experience. Deter was certainly qualified in this area!
"You have to be able to read a brand and handle cattle," says Deter, "After
that, it's pretty much on-the-job training."
Deter enjoys her work, but when asked about the most difficult aspect of
this profession, she says, "I'd say the weather is the worst part -- when
it's cold."
On the other hand, one of the most rewarding parts of her job is helping
others. "When you work somebody's cattle and find a calf that belongs to another
rancher, and he gets one of the calves back that he thought was gone, they're
usually pretty tickled about that."
Deter enjoys being out in the field. "It's different, and you're out and
about meeting people. You're pretty much on your own. You know what you have
to do, and you go out and do your job," she says. "You don't have somebody
looking down your neck all the time."
Her advice for anyone interested in this career is that you have to like
the livestock industry. "We see cattle and livestock every day, and if they
like that part and not being in the same old job, like working in an office,
it's fun and different. There's different situations every day and you get
out and meet a lot of people."
Ken Weir, a regional head of inspection services, started in the livestock
business as a senior executive at a packing house. He's been directly involved
in the brand inspection service for over 20 years.
"What made me get involved is that I started my own private consulting
company," says Weir.
Like Deter, Weir says the weather is the most difficult part of this job.
"Sometimes inspectors have to work in 30-below temperatures. They have to
read a particular brand where, in some cases, there's five or six brands on
the animal, and the animal is covered with manure and brands and tags."
On the other hand, according to Weir, one of the most rewarding aspects
of this career is the fact that the inspectors work with customers and peers
of similar backgrounds. There's a certain camaraderie that they share. "In
most instances, they're cowboys and ranchers themselves, and they're dealing
with their own people."
A rewarding feeling also comes from helping people with their livestock.
For example, out of five million cattle inspected, 55,000 were held because
of disputes over ownership.
How does that help the customer? Weir says, "Out of the 55,000,...5,500
were returned to their rightful owners. So probably $5 million worth of proceeds
of the sale of livestock would have gone to the improper owners if it had
not been for the brand inspection system."
He adds, "I would think that this would give the individuals involved the
greatest sense of pride."
What type of person does it take to fill this position? Weir states, "You
need to have a deep concern for the welfare of the industry, and you should
also be involved in the industry away from your job."
Weir states that clippers and a notepad are tools of this trade. You have
to feel comfortable roping, clipping and tagging large animals.
In other words, you have to be a cowpoke at heart in order to really appreciate
this position and do it well!