The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-10-02
Mr.. COBURN'S LATEST.
Makes Report on the PolIed
Cattle.

People who attended the recent live
stock exhibition in Topeka and saw the
beauties in the Aberdeen Angus Gal
loway and Red P0lled cattle exhibits,
will be interested in the September
ture, which Secretary Coburn has de-
voted to polled cattle. Four breeds are
treated in the report, the three men
toned and Polled Durham.
Polled, or hornless, cattle have come
into great favor with many live stock
men in recent years, and they are con-
stantly growing in favor. The report
-devotes 173 pages to these four breeds.
giving AZ Illustrations.
By no means the least valuable por-
ton of the report are a dozen pages
towards the close in which is given an
article by Prof. w. NJ. Hays, agricul
ton, and probably the foremost author
ity on plant-breeding in the world. If
Kansas had a man like Prof. Hays to
carry on the improved breeding of Kan
sas crops with special reference to Kan
sas conditions, it would be worth mil
lions of dollars to Kansas farmers in
the course of few years.
In his Introduction to his work on
polled cattle Secretary Coburn gives the
reasons why horns have gradually dis
appeared from cattle with the advance
ment of civilization and why hornless
cattle are now considered so valuable.
He says:
Aside from mention of the numerous
and varied merits the breeds of horn
less cattle may possess, their advocates
are abundantly able to present telling
arguments as to why their favorites
should be given equal if not greater
consideration than others.
In Olden times. when cattle ran wild
in forest and wilderness, constantly ex-
posed TO assailment by savage beasts
as untamed as themselves. the condi-
tons made weapons for their defense
necessity. Nature wisely provided these
in the form of horns, of such length,
strength, sharpness, position and poise
as to render for good reason the most
formidable of their assailants impotent
before the fierce charges and deadly
thrusts possession of such death-deal-
ing combinations of bayonet, Saber.
dagger and harpOOn made possible E,y-
cry moment subject to attack and dan
gers innumerable, no other beasts were
better equipped to repe1 with murder
Gus measure enemies. even the most
ferOcious-
I'm the onward march of civilization,
however, cattle have Abeconne sdomesti-
Gated animals, kept strictly for mems
uses, in pastures, paddocks, sheds, or
stalls, where each foot of space occu-
pied has a value; where peaceful, quiet
and harmonious herding mean enhanced
weil-being to the animals themselves
and profit to their civilized owners. In
the economy of cattle-husbandry pro-
] lCCDOn lIOIll VIII D0dSlS no lOnR0E Ie-
quires consideration. and weapons OF
defense and attack should rightly be no
more requisite for well-bred bovine
/ than a six-shooter for a Sister of Mercy.
/ In our time cattle may be in a few rare
instances kept for pleasure alone, but
ninety-nine one-hundredthS of those
who rear them do so in hope of profit.
1.-The COW and OK of earlier ages
doubtless needed their armature OF
pixies; practice with them upon their
fellows increasd proficiency in their
use, and, by eliminating the weaklings,
maintained equilibrium of numbers
while promoting survival of the fittest.
! Conditions in the twentieth century are
different: may It not become tn cattle
raisers of our generation to readjust
their methods and business along lines
which all enlightened experience shows
to be not only more humane but more
profitable as we'll? The highest intel
ligence would seem to suggest if not
dictate a management most likely to
result in the largest return for the
| least risk and smallest outlay.
Few will seriously deny that horns
on the head of any animal of the cattle
kind past a year old are simply instru-
ments for inhicting needless pain, great
injury and perhaps death on other brute
kind and mankind at any hour of the
day or night; not for reason, not fol
| cause, not for provocation. but to gra l.
ify the passing whim, the fancied dis
pleasure, or the desire for DISPLAY Ol
4 play. perhaps in passion; and the dis
position so big in all animal creation t.
| dominate if not to domineer.
1T is estimated, by those who have
paid most attention to such statistics
that not less than two hundred persons
in the United States each year are kille.
or seriously injured by cattle horns, ane
that by the same means a hundred
thousand cattle, horses and colts and in
Vulnerable sheep and swine are annually
destroyed: that two-thirds or three
fourths of all the tremendous losses by
abortion, especially among COWS, and Ii
large degree other stock, if carefully in
vestigated could. directly or indirectly
be traced to the presence of horns: fur
Their. that in railroad transportation o
horned cattle matured for the shambles
and hence, when at their very maximum
Of value, one or more animals in nearl
|. every car load are horn-gouged O
bruised in such a way that, If then dis
covered. there is a reduction in the pric
made by the buyer, and, If it is not no
ticeable until showing itself in bruise
and blood-clotted spots on the dresse
carcass, entails loss on the butcher O
packer In connection with these Tnipo
injuries must of course be considered tn
many animals lost outright in shipmen
by being hooked down or prevented b
their own and others horns from re
] gaining their feet after lying or bein
! thrown down, and so are tramples