New Ulm weekly review. [volume] (New Ulm, Minn.) 1878-1892, 1890-07-09
Common sense and the Bun.

Common Sense and the Bull.
It is perfectly naturalfera bulIto fight.
His skull is thick, his horns are strong,
his neck is tough and stout. He is alto
gether powerful animal, and usually
has great deal of vital power. We must
take the bull as he is. When young. he
can be trained and made tractable ami
NAL, or he can be played with, when he
will eio things quite cunning for calf,
but more serious and dangerous when
older. For these reasons the bull calf
should never be trifed with; his ears
should never be pulled, his horns petted,
nor his head and neck stroked. If these
playful ways are INDUCED in they will
teach the bull to throw his head around
when approached, and make it risky to
go near him. The bull calf should be
tied up with halter, which should go
behind his ears and around his nose, and,
like the halter of horse, sure to fasten
as well as to lead him. He should be
trained to stand aside when any person
goes by his side and to step back at the
word and remain quiet when groomed or
united. He should be taught to back
UP and follow whoever leads him at a
proper distance. A stout ring should be
put into his nose while he is not over
year old, and string should be fastened
to this ring inches long, for week, to
take hold OF to turn the ring while the
wound is healing. In no case should any
| one attempt to catch hold of this ring, as
the. bull will resentit. When the wound
in the cartilage is healed the string should
be cut off. To perforate the cartilage for
the ring use three-cornered file, and
being careful to pull the end of the nose
forward so that the file shall not touch
the gristle at the end of the bone. Push
it through the thin membranes, cutting
a slit full half-inch wide. Through
| this slit a ring is thrust and then it is
| joined securely. There is no blood and
very little pain.
| A bull should never be fastened by the
ring, unless it becomes necessary on ac-
count of restlessness and danger of get
ting loose. Whenever this is the case he
should also be fastened with very strong
strap around his neck as an extra precau-
ton, and if he is ugly and dangerous a
rope with slipping moose should also be
put about his neck. This rope should be
fastened overhead and out of the wav.
The object of this security is that if the
bull does get loose he will be choked
down. If bulls are thoroughly broken
and trained when young. and properly
| fed, they will rarely be wantcnly vicious.
They should be broken or trained to obey
like an OK. The bull is capable of doing
great deal of work, and should be made
| to do it. He may be worked singly or
with near OK.
When the bull has been trained to be
led by halter, to back up at the word,
and to stand around, he is more than
half broken for use in the yoke The
| bull can expend his energies at work,
rather than in believing, paving, and
making day and night hideous with his
roaring. He will be a better sire and
more active, besides not being dangerous.
This is the safest and best way to manage
bull, and to reduce the cost of his keep
ing. A pure bred bull of the most costly
kind is the better for working in team.
and the risks of accident and trouble are
reduced by such care and labor. The
bull will soon become fond of his mate
and really enjoy his company. bull is
social being, and nothing tends to de-
velop ugliness more than solitary con-
tinement. One at Kirby Homestead,
kept in back stable, was becoming rest
i've and ugly, but, when moved to
stable with his head by an open window,
where he could see every one going to
and from the barn-the dog, the chill
dren, the horses. and the cows when they
passed to and from the pasture became
quiet and gentle.
Another bull, which had broken his
leg when yearling and had been cared
for by my wife, would call to her when
he saw her and would come across the
held to HEX salt from her hand Another,
fed at her hand. when young. with
apples or salt, never forgot his friend,
and would turn as far as possible to look,
and even recognized her step as well as
her voice. Notwithstanding these evil
dences of affection and gratitude, bull
Is not to be trusted. No animal can be
enraged so easily. and when one is en-
ragged 1T is dangerous TO attempt to drive
him or to handle him. AT such times
they should be let alone, and when the
excitement is over they can be managed.
IF. q. Curtis in American Agriculture
list.