RANGE STOCK MANAGEMENT 181 



Dehorning the Calves. Many stockmen dehorn their 

 calves as they are branded, using a small dehorning tool 

 made especially for the purpose. When the calf is 

 less than five weeks old the little button of the horn 

 can be taken off very readily by clipping the hair around 

 it and then rubbing it with a stick of caustic potash. 

 Ordinary concentrated lye will also cut them out. Care 

 must be taken not to get the caustic or lye into the 

 eye of the animal. As few range calves can be handled 

 at this early age, the dehorning tool is the most satis- 

 factory method of ridding the animal of its horns. 



Value of Dehorned Cattle. Dehorned cattle on the 

 markets bring from $1 to $3 per head more than the 

 same grade of horned animals, so that the process pays 

 the raiser of the animal very well. Besides this, they 

 ship better, more will go in a car and easier, are free 

 from the fearful slashes and cuts made by the horns 

 of aggressive animals when bunched together, and feed 

 together more like a lot of sheep than anything else. 



Naturally the best way to get rid of horns is to 

 breed them off, but until that time comes dehorning 

 when the animal is small is the next best means of 

 meeting the demand for the hornless animal. 



Marking Cattle. Several years ago considerable mat- 

 ter appeared in the western stock papers about a brand- 

 ing fluid used in Australia. It was said to be quite 

 as satisfactory as a hot iron for placing a brand on 

 an animal, and much less painful and did not injure the 

 hide. 



The fluid was composed of several acids and corro- 

 sive ingredients and when used on a single animal 

 where there was plenty of time to do it carefully, 

 would kill the hair and leave a brand on the hide 



