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Livestock Brand Inspector

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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!

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