The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1893-08-14
Dehorning Cattle.

From the NUMB OF mo u1rleS G0dJ J06
Agricultural editor has received in refer
ence 10 the subject of dehorning cattle it
is evident that very general interest is
being manifested In it. Some seven or
eight years ago an Illinois man, we do not
remember whether he was a stock raiser
ornot, began the discussion of the sub
Ject of removing horns from cattle.
Since that time the question has been
freely discussed and the experiment sta
tons, some of them at least,
undertook experiments to find
out the best means of checking the growth
of the horns in young cattle and taking
those off of bulls and other grown cattle.
The society for preventing cruelty to an
imals took a hand in the discussion and
attempted to show that it was unneces-
sary. cruelty to adopt such practice,
with matured cattle especially; but their
allegations have not been sustained. The
truth has been brought out and the result
south, east and west owners of
stock are adopting the plan and
il is not risking much to say that in all
probability 20 years from now, bull or
cow with horns will be the exception.
There may be a goodly number of people
who will regard the practice as a viola
ton of natural laws that should not be
tolerated That horns on domesticated
cattle are an unnecessary appendage, pro
ducing nothing good to the animal, it is
unnecessary to urge, and Just to think
TOO, the disease Of 'hollOw-horn" will be
absolutely eliminated from the rural cow
doctors compendium of diseases. We
will never hear any more of stirring a
tablespoonful of black pepper into a quart
Of cider vinegar, and the mixture poured
into a cows ear until it runs out of the
nose, as an infallible cure for "hollow
horn We will anticipate that disease
by doing away with the horn. A bull or
COW without horns is Just the quietest
and most peaceful animal to be found
anywhere. As it is now some very fine
animals are ruined every year by being
gored by some suddenly provoked com
panion, and it is not uncommon to hear of
some man, woman or child killed by a
horned animal
Yes let the horns be bred off the
cattle and it will prove a marked ad-
vance in animal economy.
The New York experiment station,
QthaCa) recently made some experiment
with some calves l to ? months old with
the aim of determining the most efflca-
clOuS method of preventing the growth OF
the horns In the experiment the several
substances used were caustiC potash, hy-
drochloric acid sulphuric acid mixed
with sulphur, chloride of zinc, sulphuric
acid with glue and chronic acid ointment,
chronic acid solution. While sulphuric
acid mixed with sulphur accom- plished
the purpose the most effective substance
was found to be potash.
Inc director says in conclusion: 1.-The
results Of all the experiments made at
this station lead us to the belief that the
use Of caustic potash is by far the cas-
lest most humane and most certain
method Of securing hornless cattle. The
pest time to apply the preventives is ear
y III the life of the animal just as soon as
the little horns can be distinguished by
Inc touch The hair should be closely
clipped from the skin and the little horn
molstened with water, to which soap or
d lew drops of ammonia have been added
70 dissolve the oily secretiOns of the skin
SO tha& the potash will more readily ad-
mere TO the surface of the horn. Care
niusJ be taken, not to moisten
tIe skin except on the horn
%here the potash is to be applied.
one end of a stick of cauStic potash
mad at any drug store for a few cents) is
uIpped INTO water until it is slightly
Soilened. 1t is then rubbed on the
1mTolsJened surface of the little horn.
me whole operation takes only a few
minutes and the calf apparently is in
sensible 10 any pain. A slight
SStaD forms over the surface of the
budding horn and it drops off in the
course OF four to six weeks and a hornless
ANIMAL will be the result
Frot Roberts recommends as early an
SSpphcatlon as possible-when the calf is
IRON three to six or eight weeks old.
III another number we will describe the
process of taking the horns off old cattle.