North Dakota Administrative Code
Title 48.1 - State Board of Animal Health
Article 48.1-03 - Brand Inspection
Chapter 48.1-03-01 - Brand Inspection
Section 48.1-03-01-03 - Brand inspection

1. When cattle, horses, or mules are offered for sale at any brand inspection point, proof of ownership must be established by the shipper of the cattle, horses, or mules, either by a recorded brand, bill of sale, livestock market clearance, local inspection certificate, or an affidavit of ownership.

2. If any animal inspected bears the recorded brand of the shipper or seller and also bears a recorded brand or brands other than the recorded brand of the shipper or seller, then the shipper or seller may be required, at the discretion of the brand inspector, to establish ownership of such animal by bills of sale, market clearance, local inspection certificate, or any other satisfactory evidence of ownership.

3. A claim for feed, pasture, or gathering may not be submitted at market. All such claims must be referred to and approved for payment from proceeds of sale by the association, unless payment is authorized in writing by the owner of the brand carried by such livestock.

4. Sales agency, packing plant, and buying stations where inspection is conducted must furnish necessary help, without charge, to assist the brand inspectors in handling cattle, horses, or mules to be inspected for brands.

5. All cattle, horses, or mules entering an inspection point must be placed in pens assigned to individual sellers and must be kept separate from all other cattle, horses, or mules until inspected by the brand inspector and released for sale or shipment.

6. No cattle, horses, or mules may be inspected when loaded in trucks or after dark or by artificial light, unless approved by the chief brand inspector. The chief brand inspector may grant approval to premises which meet artificial light specifications and may extend or remove such approval.

7. The association shall provide a sufficient and competent force of brand inspectors at inspection points to conduct the brand inspection in an efficient and timely manner.

8. Brand inspectors may not inspect their own livestock.

9. Meat processing facility inspections:

10. Brand inspection fees and expenses are as follows:

11. The following auction markets outside the state are designated official brand inspection markets for North Dakota origin cattle, horses, and mules: Mobridge livestock auction, Mobridge, South Dakota; Lemmon livestock market, inc., Lemmon, South Dakota; Sisseton livestock sale co., Sisseton, South Dakota; hub city livestock sale co., Aberdeen, South Dakota; Aberdeen livestock sales, Aberdeen, South Dakota; Herreid livestock sale co., Herreid, South Dakota; Glendive livestock auction, Glendive, Montana; Sidney livestock market center, Sidney, Montana. If any of the above markets, or other markets designated by the board, where the association provides brand inspection closes for a period of three months or longer, the market must file a written request and follow the same criteria as listed for new requests for brand inspection services.