It is narrated from Sayyiduna Junadah bin Jarad (may Allah be pleased with him) that he said: I came to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) with camels which I had branded on the nose. He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "O Junadah! Did you find no part other than the face to brand? Ahead of you lies the reckoning." He said: The matter is up to you (peace and blessings be upon him). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Bring something else that has no mark on it." So I brought him (peace and blessings be upon him) an ibn labun (a two-year-old male camel), a bint labun (a two-year-old female camel) and a hiqqah (a three-year-old female camel). He (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Will you sell me their brand? I will buy their brand in exchange for their sadaqah." He said: The matter is up to you. I took up the branding iron, and the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Further back." He (peace and blessings be upon him) kept saying: "Further back, further back," until I reached the thigh. Then the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) said: "Brand with blessing." So I branded them on their thighs. Their sadaqah was two hiqqahs, and they numbered ninety.
Hadith Referenceالسنن الكبرى للبيهقي / كتاب قسم الصدقات / 13263