Four page booklet featuring printed text, with a red banner and logo of a sheep on the front cover. front: [printed] COOPER / RELEASE OF / INFORMATION / THE EXHAUSTION OR STRIPPING OF DIPS / by G. C. Brander, B.Sc., M.R.C.V.S.products, agriculture, animal breeding, animal husbandry, william cooper and nephews (australia) pty limited, vaccination

An inscription written across the lower right of the photograph says that the Francis woolshed was the first shed in the district to install machines for shearing, and that it was used as a community shearing shed for district farmers. Early LDHS index to photographs identifies Jack Francis, holding wool press; Jim Francis shearing, nearest door; Henry Francis, lad on bale of wool.Black and white copy of original photograph of five men, two dogs and two sheep posing outside a wool shed. With wooden hand wool press and bales of wool.francis wool shed, h.f. newland [brand on francis wool bales], 'newland' (francis property], shearing, wool press

Branding irons were essential tools in livestock management, particularly in cattle and sheep farming, to identify ownership and prevent theft. This manual iron would have been heated in an open flame and then applied to the animal’s hide, leaving a permanent mark. The presence of rust and wear suggests this branding iron was used extensively on a working farm. These tools have been used for centuries, especially in Australia, the United States, and Europe, where cattle ranching played a major role in agricultural economies.This is a long-handled metal branding iron, traditionally used for marking livestock with a permanent identification symbol. The iron consists of a straight, sturdy metal shaft with a looped handle at one end, designed for gripping or hanging. The opposite end features a flat, engraved or raised branding head with a distinct shape or pattern, which would have been heated and pressed against the animal's hide to leave a lasting impression. The entire tool shows signs of age, rust, and wear, indicating extensive past use.Mc & Cobranding iron, farm equipment, sheep, cattle, livestock