46 THE DA.IRYMAX'S MANUAL. 



well selected animals, fed as highly as they could safely 

 bear. 



The Polled Xorfolk is a red cow much like the 

 Devon in appearance, but having no horns. For some 

 » very good reasons horns are not desirable in the dairy, 

 and their absence from the cows is a point in their favor 

 which goes a long way to make up for any deficiencies. 

 But the Xorfolk cows are said to be excellent dairy 

 animals. There are several herds of them in America. 

 Most of them have sprung from recent importations from 

 England, where they are highly valued for milk and 

 beef. They are certainly no better than the Devons in 

 the dairy, if as good; but the absence of horns goes some 

 way to balance the deficiency. While this breed is men- 

 tioned, it is more for the purpose of avoiding any charge 

 of prejudice against a breed of useful cattle which are 

 considered by those who keep them quite valuable for tlie 

 dairy, than to class them on a par with the special dairy 

 breeds previously described. If a dairyman wants a 

 herd of cows which are without horns, he can find such 

 cows among the polled Xorfolks. 



While considering this matter of horns, it might be 

 said that there are many weighty reasons to be urged in 

 favor of hornless cattle. Horns are offensive weapons 

 r of tlie most dangerous character, and may be suddenly 

 turned against an unwary owner as quickly as against 

 other cattle in the herd. Numerous distressing acci- 

 dents occur every year in this way, and very great dam- 

 age results to cows, calves, and other animals from the 

 pugnacity of cows and bulls who use these most injurious 

 and often fatal weapons offensively in every sense of the 

 term, and never defensively, as nature intended, but 

 which are not required under domestication. Then the 

 question arises, how can the cattle be deprived of these 

 offensive and threatening horns without injury, damage, 

 or inconvenience ? A horn has a bony center, which is a 



