Final answer:
The identification method for large animals, in addition to ear notching, ear tags, and branding, is likely microchipping. While traditional methods are still in use, microchipping offers a modern alternative for identification.
Step-by-step explanation:
The question asks about methods of animal identification, specifically for large animals. The blank in the question should be filled with a form of identification that is often used alongside ear notching, ear tags, and branding. One common method is microchipping, which is a more modern and less invasive identification technique. Microchips are small electronic chips inserted under the animal's skin, typically between the shoulder blades. However, traditional methods such as ear notching, which involves cutting marks into the ears of animals; ear tags, which are tagged to the animal's ear and have identification numbers; and branding, which is the process of marking the skin of an animal with a hot or cold iron to produce a scar with a distinctive mark, remain widely used.
Ear tags and branding are visible forms of identification, which can be seen from a distance, facilitating easy identification of the animals in a herd. Scarification in humans is analogous to animal branding, where designs are etched into the skin not just for decorative purposes but also to signify group identity or individual milestones.