Several years ago while researching a poor farm in East Barnstable (on
Cape Cod), Massachusetts, I found numerous references in town records to
marks & methods used to brand or otherwise mark animals (cows & pigs)
that were allowed to roam freely.  As I recall, the majority of the
marks involved different combinations of slits or cuts made in one or
both ears.  There were pages & pages of these marks listed by the
livestock owner's name.  Since this was way outside of my research focus
at the time, I just skimmed through the listings.  I do seem to remember
references to branded marks on some animals, but don't remember any
references to the type of branding iron used or the form of the marks.
 
While researching (unsuccessfully, unfortunately) a branding iron
recovered from a late 19th c blacksmith shop in Manhattan, Kansas, I
also ran across copies of official brand "books" for the state (housed
at Kansas State Historical Society).  These were mostly loose sheets
rather than bound books & were not organized terribly well, just by
county.
 
Hope this is of some help.
 
*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*^*
Marsha K. King, Archeologist II
Environmental Services Section
Bureau of Design
Kansas Department of Transportation
Docking State Office Building, 8th floor North
Topeka, KS   66612-1568
phone - 785-296-8414
fax       - 785-296-8399
email   - [log in to unmask]