VETERINARY SCIENCE AND PRACTICE. 395 



Dehorning cows, Gr. M. Gowell and F. L. Russell (Maine Sta. 

 Bui. 41, pp. 8). — The opinions of a number of investigators concerning 

 dehorning cattle are quoted and the results reported of dehorning at 

 the station with clippers, and in the case of calves by means of potash. 

 Dehorning is recommended, and it is believed that cattle are more 

 comfortable and may be more easily cared for without horns than with 

 them. Other conclusions are the following: 



"The best time to dehorn cattle is during cold weather when there will be no 

 trouble from flies. 



"To dehorn" mature animals, clippers should be used that will remove the horn 

 perfectly at a single stroke and in a moment of time. With suitable clippers prop- 

 erly used the operation is simple and very quickly performed. When it is skillfully 

 performed, animals do not give evidence of great suffering as an effect of dehorning. 

 The tissues injured in dehorning are not very well supplied with nerves aud they 

 are quickly cut through. Good evidence that dehorning is not very painful is the 

 fact that cattle will resume feeding immediately after being operated on, aud the 

 yield of milk in cows is not perceptibly affected. Compared with castration of colts 

 aud calves, dehorning may be considered painless. . . . 



"To prevent the growth of horns, calves under 3 weeks of age can have the em- 

 bryo horns removed with one stroke of a sharp knife, or they can be treated with a 

 caustic sufficiently powerful to destroy them." 



Dehorning cattle, F. W. Bane and H. H. Lamson {New Hampshire 

 Sta. Bui. 50, pp. 21-22, Jigs. 3). — The bulletin consists of two articles : (1) 

 Experience with the college herd, by F. W. Kane; and (2) preventing 

 the growth of horns, by H. H. Lamson. A number of animals at the 

 station were successfully dehorned. They regained their original vigor 

 in a short time and the disposition of the herd was changed for the 

 better. Concise directions for dehorning cattle are given. Preventing 

 the growth of horns in calves by the use of caustic potash is described 

 with considerable detail and the results of this method of treatment at 

 the station are noted. 



Veterinary department, J. H. Worst (North Dakota Sta. Bpt. 1897, 

 pp. 17-21). — The report discusses experiments in the introduction of 

 niallein, the effect of tuberculin upon the milk supply, blackleg, and 

 the selection of cows for experimental purposes. In the author's opinion 

 his experiments show forcibly that a reaction above 104° F. indicates 

 the presence of glanders, a conclusion verified by post-mortem exami- 

 nations. In the case of cows treated with tuberculin the milk yield 

 was diminished 7.7 per cent; where they were not so treated it was 

 diminished 11.4 per cent. Injected aniuials showed a loss of 7.9 of the 

 total amount of butter fat, while those that were not injected showed 

 a loss of 8.7 per cent. 



The author states that experiments with blackleg have demonstrated 

 that the disease can be eradicated by the employment of blackleg 

 vaccine. 



Bovine tuberculosis, P. Fischer (Kansas Sta. Bid. 79. pp. 81-109, fins. 5, dgms.8).— 

 This is an extended discussion of bovine tuberculosis, its cause, symptoms, aud 

 treatment. The application of the tuberculin test to the college herd is reported in 

 considerable detail. 



