THE TERM “BRANDING” might mean a lot more to the business world these days, but to the cattle industry it will always mean the practice of labeling cattle with a metal branding iron to show ownership. The tradition is one that is in our company’s roots, dating back to the hand-made branding irons created by our ancestor, Victor Domer, who started Domer’s, Inc. in the 1920s.
Russell Domer, our grandfather, took over Domer’s in the 1950s and took making branding irons to an art form, hand-forging thousands of branding irons from hot-rolled steel for cattlemen everywhere from Okeechobee to countries far across the ocean. He even created his own process for making branding irons out of stainless steel, which don’t flake with every use. My granddad took the craft of branding irons seriously, maintaining a level of quality and craftsmanship that led him to believe that his irons would be collector’s items. He maintained that if the branding irons were taken care of — if they were dipped in oil after every use to prevent rusting — they would last a long time.
In the late 1970s, our father Ray took over Domer’s, and he passed down all the Domer traditions and skills to me and my brother Jacob. We took over Domer’s in 2014, and we still offer custom livestock branding irons. Branding cattle is still one of the most recommended methods for reducing cattle thefts. Continuing the traditions set by our grandfather, Russell, we still recommend a simple brand that burns clear and stands the test of time.
This column is sponsored by Domer’s, Inc.
CREDIT
column by JUSTIN DOMER
BIO: Brothers Jacob and Justin Domer are the fourth generation to step into the shoes of Great-Grandfather Victor Domer, the original owner of Domer’s, Inc. Both were raised in the business, learning the trade alongside studies at Okeechobee High School. Justin holds a Bachelor’s in Political Science and Business minor from FSU; Jacob currently attends Indian River State College, and both men consider running the business a team effort. The two brothers, along with the rest of their Domer’s family, enjoy working alongside each other and helping their customers.
