Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1900-09-20
DAIRY AND POULTRY.
INTERESTING CHAPTERS FOR
OUR RURAL READERS.
How Successful Farmers Operate This
Department of the Farm - A Few
Hints to the Care of Live Stock
and Poultry.
Preventing the Growth of Horns.

Preventing the Growth of Horns.
ii. II. Lamson in Bulletin No. SO, OF
the New Hampshire experiment sta
tlono, writes: Many Of the disagree
able features OF dehorning may be
avoided by preventing the horns of
calves from developing. The horns OF
cattle consist Of two parts Of different
origin; .he outer horny shell is derived
from tie skin; the inner part or pith
consists of bone and is an outgrowth
OF the skull. At the birth of the calf
only exists as a possibility but they
at once begin to grow, and in short
time the young horn can be felt as
slight elevation or button. Bones are
covered with tough, fibrous mem
brane known as the periosteum, from
the inner surface OF which new bone
is continually being formed upon the
surface of the old. 1t is in this way
that growth in size is produced, and
1t is thus that the bony part OF the
horn grows.
The horny tissue develops from the
skin just as do hoofs and claws in the
lower animals and nails in human be-
lngs. There is a zone in the skin about
the base Of the horn known as the
matrix, from which new horn-cells are
constantly being formed, the older
parts being pushed on. II We destroy
the periosteum from which the bony
part Of the horn is formed and the
matrix from which the horny part is
formed we prevent the further develop
ment OF the horn. In removing horns
which are already more or less devel-
| oped, as in dehorning mature animals,
the cut must be made deep enough to
include the matriX or the stump or
the horn will continue to grow. 1t
may not be out of place here to re-
mark that there is no danger OF cut
ting into the brain-cavity, as at this
point 1t lies very deeply. The open
lngs frequently seen on removing the
horns are only empty spaces with
which the frontal bone is honeycombed.
In calves the growing points of the
horns are small in extent and can be
destroyed with little trouble. This
could doubtless be done with knife,
but we have had no personal expert
ence as yet on this point. In our ex-
periments We have made use Of caustic
potash. Caustic potash, so called, Is
a pure form of the same substance that
constitutes the potash sold in cans for
soap making and cleansing purposes.
1t is in the form of white sticks. in
diameter about the size of an ordinary
lead pencil AS its name indicates: it
is powerful caustic, rapidly destroy
ing the skin and other tissues If kept
In contact with them. In this property
lies its value as preventive of the
growth of horns. When properly ap-
piled it destroys the matrIx or grow
ing point of the bony tissue and the
underlying perioSteum from which the
bony pith grows.
Directions for Using Caustic Potash.
The hair should be cut away from
the young horn as thoroughly as pos
sible so that the potash may come in
intimate contact with the parts to be
treated. The oily secretion should be
removed from the parts to be touched
with the potash, by wipins carefully
with rag or sponge moistened with
soapsuds or water containing little
ammonia. Parts not to be touched
should not be moistened. The stick
CT potash is rolled up in a piece of
paper so as to leave one end exposed,
The exposed end is dipped in water
to moisten it and then rubbed on the
button or embryo horn until the skin
begins to start, care being taken that
the whole Of the button and the border
or matrix is included in the treatment.
In young calves few days old a sur
face half an inch or little more in
diameter will cover these parts.
Caustic potash, or caIstic soda,
which answers as well, can be obtained
at almost any drug store. When not
in use it should be kept in a closely
stoppered vial, one with 4 rubber stop
per preferred. or 1t will liquefy.