The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1910-03-10
A WORD ON Och ORNING.

AS this is the time of the year when
many cattle are dehorned, and calves
are coming in on which the horn bud
can easily be killed, a word or two on
this subject would not be amiss.
Going through the country and look
ing over the different herds one is
struck by the fact that farmers as a
rule do not understand the operation
of dehorning or. are careless in the
manner they do it.
In nearly every herd can be seen
cattle that have stunted, gnarled,
crooked, misshapen remnants Of horns,
due to not being properly cut, or per-
haps cut at too early an age.
TO the writer's mind there is moth
ing disfgures a COW as much as bad
looking horns, whether naturally de-
formed or due to cutting.
Many cattle owners still maintain
that it is cruelty to infict the
necessary pain to remove horns, but
that idea Will not hold good as with
proper care and expediency in opera
ton the pain is Slight.
When dehorning first came in vogue
the Canadian courts handed down a
decision that the operation of dehorn-
ing was not cruelty to animals, taking
into consideration that the removal of
horns prevented more serious pain and
suffering.
There is hardly a cattle owner but
what can recall some instance where
the saving of life or other serious in
jury was due to the COW being dehorn-
ed.
Or where death or injury was due
to the animal having horns.
The safest and probably the best
way to operate is by the use of meat
or hack saw.
The animal should be securely fast
ened in such way that it can instant
ly be released, the operator standing on
the side from which the horn is to be
removed. The work must be done
quick an accurate cutting from above,
downward and forward, the saw should
be started so as to take about one half
inch of hair and to cut this much all
way around the horn. If the saw is
set deep enough and cut at the proper
slant it is then very seldom that an
outgrowth of horn follows.
Dehorning should not be done under
two years of age. If the dehorning is
done when the weather is cool it is
not necessary to apply anything to the
wound.
But should bleeding be profuse a
weak solution of chloride of iron,
alumni or other astringent may be
applied.
If done in the summer a dressing of
pine tar will keep the flies away. 1t
is always advisable to keep the cattle
in the stable until the opening has
closed or irritation has disappeared,
this will prevent foreign substances
from getting into the rontal sinuses
of which the horns are elongations.
To use the dehorning shears the cut
must be made with one quick cut not
giving the animal chance to move its
head if it does a fracture of the rontal
bones is liable to be the result.
In calves the horn bud can be easily
removed by stick caustic, which can be
purchased at most any drug store for
trile.
When the calf is five days old clip
the hair from over the horn bud which
can be easily felt under the skin and
is movable, next rub lard or vaseline
over face, with exception of where
caustic is to be applied, now dip point
Of caustic in and rub over horn bud,
repeat three times at ten minute
intervals. Keep the head dry.
Cattle owners would find this mode
of dehorning easier and far more salts.
factory were they to adopt it, being
painless, bloodless, free from function.
al disturbances and always successful
This manner Of dehorning commend.
itself