Earmark

Also: ear notch, ear mark

Earmarks are small notches, slits or holes cut into an animal's ears in a pattern registered to its owner, so that cattle can be identified from a distance. The practice is old and widespread, from Europe and the American West to Australia and East Africa, where many herding peoples cut distinct ear shapes into their cattle. In English the word has come to mean setting something aside for a particular purpose, as with funds. Ear tags have replaced earmarks in most commercial herds, but they are still used alongside brands on some ranches and stations.

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