Livestock identification system

Claim 1

An animal marking system for cattle and the like comprising: a flexible strap having two ends and of a length sufficient to fit around the neck of an animal; means for adjustably fastening the ends of the strap to form a loop of adjustable diameter to secure the strap around the animal's neck; at least one pair of first patches bearing identical numbers; two sets of second patches having a surface of a different identifiable color; means for removably securing each of the at least one pair of first patches and a pair of second patches to the flexible strap at two separate locations on the strap such that the first and second patches will be positioned on opposite sides of the loop formed by the strap when the loop is positioned around an animal's neck, whereby the first and second patches are both visible from opposite sides of an animal when the strap is positioned on the animal; and the removably securing means comprises: a plurality of resiliently deformable hook-shaped elements secured to one of the flexible strap and the first and second patches; and a plurality of loop elements secured to the other of the flexible strap and the first and second patches, the resiliently deformable, hook-shaped elements internally engaging the loop elements when the hook-shaped elements are pressed against the loop elements.