An owner of livestock desiring to use in branding a brand not already recorded in the office of the board shall file with the director a facsimile of the desired brand. The owner may record the desired brands as holding brands upon livestock so owned upon furnishing to the director a full description as to the number, class and locality of all livestock branded with the holding brand. A recorded holding brand may be used also on a show animal. A fee shall be charged for the recording of a holding brand, which recording shall be valid for a period of one year or until the described livestock depart the state, whichever comes first. The recording may be renewed for additional years by the payment of a fee at each yearly renewal; provided that it is unlawful for the owner to brand the increase of such livestock in any other brand than the recorded brand of the owner except in the case of mortgaged livestock as provided in Section 77-9-14 NMSA 1978, as recompiled [77-2-7.7 NMSA 1978]. A person who violates the provisions of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be sentenced in accordance with the provisions of Section 31-19-1 NMSA 1978 for each offense.
NMS § 77-2-7.9