Rosalind,
Rather than trust a stain, why not make a shallow cut with a hacksaw blade?

         Good luck,  Laurie.

At 08:44  2/08/01 +1000, Dalefield, Rosalind wrote:
>
>Can anyone suggest something that will permanently stain keratin?
>
>This is actually for keratin in the living animal; I want to mark the (light
>colored) hooves of Merino sheep so I can track rate of hoof growth. But I
>figured Histonetters would have some good ideas...what stains just won't
>come off your fingernails!?
>
>Thanks in advance,
>
>
>Rosalind Dalefield BVSc PhD DABVT DABT
>Senior Research Scientist, Toxicology
>Plant Toxins Unit
>CSIRO
>5 Portarlington Rd
>Private Bag 24
>Geelong
>VIC 3220
>Australia
>
>Phone 61 3 5227 5730
>Fax     61 3 5227 5555
>Email rosalind.dalefield@li.csiro.au 
>
>
>
>
Mr.Laurie Reilly 
Histotechnologist.                         Ph 07 4781 4468
Physiology & Pharmacology                 Fax  07 4779 1526
Aust.Inst.of Tropical Vet.& Animal Sc.    
James Cook University                     laurie.reilly@jcu.edu.au
       Townsv