Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1886-06-24
De-HOrning Cattle

The subject of removing the horn:
from cattle has received an unusual
amount OF attention among stock mer
within the past few months. on account Of
he prosecution by the Chicago Humane
Society of an Illinois farmer, Mr.. Haaff
who has for some years advocated and
practised de-horning cattle of mature age
His process is to confine the animals and
then quickly, with sharp saw to take
the horns off close up to the head. He
claims that the operation is not excessive
| ~ painful. that it makes the animals less
dangerous to each other and their attend
ants that considerable less food is re-
quired to keep them, (the horns calling
Tor much animal heat to keep them warm
| in a climate like ours } that the cattle, by
budding more closely together in their
sheds are better protected from cold, and
lastly that abortions are far less frequent.
Public opinion seemed at first to be
against Mr.. Haaff, but as the matter is in
vestigated the farmers are taking view
similar to his. Saving off the horns is
probably less painful, and certainly far
less dangerous than caStratlng a mature
| animal. process that public opinion has
sanctioned for centuries. We are aware
| that there are many dangerous bulls kept
by our farmers, that would be far less
dangerous if they were without horns
indeed we look upon a horn upon a do
nestle animal as nuisance in every case
but we have never as yet either practiced
or recommended others to practice the
saving off of horns upon full grown ami
mails.
We once tried to cut out the incipient
horns on the head of a calf but had not
the heart to do the work thoroughly, so
made failure of the experiment.
We do believe, however, that the
removal of the horns from young
calves should be common prac-
tice. and that any one with a little expert
ence and courage can take them out effect
uallv, and with very little pain or incon-
venience to the animals. And we are glad
to learn that SO prominent a breeder of
fine cattle a. Mr.. John Brooks of Prince
ton, has decided to give the de-horning
method thorough trial upon his calves
the coming season.
The horn of a cow is an appendage not
Of the skull but of the skin. In the calf
the horn is loose on the head, and may be
removed with a section of the skin. The
! horn Is fed bv the skin. as is also the hair
and as the removal of the skin on any
portion of the body leaves a scar which
will not hair over, so the removal of the
skin with the rudimentary horn leaves a
scar that cannot produce anew horn. 1t is
claimed that there is no better time to
perform the operation than when the
| calf is two weeks Old The horn at this
age is merely section OF soft. hairless
skin called the matriX. or mother of the
future horn. In removing it it is only
necessary to make clean work OF it, TAX
! ing rim of the skin an eighth of an inch
wide surrounding the matrix. 1t can be
done with one firm sweep of the knife,
the calf being laid upon its side, and the
head held firmly to the ground under the
knee OF the operator No one who has OBJ
served the feeling of security and the
good temper manifested by herd of
polied cattle confined in shed or small
| yard. could ever wish to see the horns re-
stored upon such herd. Many valuable
lives are yearly sacrificed through the
goring of horns upon vicious or playful
animals. Our present civilization has no
call tor such weapons.-N. f. Farmer.