180 The Care of Animals 



animals, horns are useless and dangerous appendages, 

 and few experienced persons are nowadays willing to 

 have horned animals about them. 



The best method of removing the horns is to apply 

 caustic potash to the budding horn as soon as the 

 "button" can be felt beneath the skin on the head of 

 the calf. The hair should be clipped off, the skin 

 over the immature horn wet, and then well rubbed 

 with the stick of caustic potash, the fingers being well 

 protected from it. In applying the caustic, care should 

 be taken to cover the w^iole "button." After the horn 

 is well started it is difficult to remove with caustic. 

 A small gouge is sometimes used to remove the 

 immature horns. 



In removing the horns from mature animals, the 

 animal is confined in a stanchion or chute made for 

 the purpose, a halter is put on the head and the 

 latter pulled well forward and to one side, and firmly 

 held. The horn is then removed, either with a saw 

 or with dehorning shears made for the purpose. In re- 

 moving the horn a good ring of hair is to be taken 

 off with the base of the horn, or the horn will grow 

 out as a stub. After the horn is renioved, some pine 

 tar may be applied and a layer of absorbent cotton 

 placed over the wound to stop the bleeding and keep 

 out the dirt. Cattle should not be dehorned when 

 flies are bad, and, after dehorning, should not be 

 allowed access to straw stacks where they can get 

 chaff into the wounds. Dehorning is not a reprehensible 

 practice, as some persons suppose. The pain of the 

 operation is usually slight. The animal is saved injuries 



