384 THE MANAGEMENT ANU FEEDING OF CATTLE 



be made of hornlessness in the polled breeds. Individ- 

 uals of these may also injure one another by pushing 

 and also by striking with the head. Individuals among 

 the males of these are sometimes so vicious as to be 

 positively dangerous to those who have them in charge 

 and to others, but it is very evident that the degree of 

 danger arising from viciousness in a hornless animal is 

 less than from one that is horned. The difference in 

 viciousness in breeds and also in individual animals is 

 considerable, and, fortunately, it may be modified by 

 selection in breeding. It is also influenced by the char- 

 acter of the management. 



When cattle should be dehorned. — Cattle should be 

 dehorned when grown for meat on the arable farm, and 

 when not marketed till they have reached that age when 

 they may do harm to one another or to other animals 

 through goring. There may be some difference of opin- 

 ion as to the age in young cattle when horns become 

 really harmful, but all will probably subscribe to the 

 decision that they do not become so to any serious ex- 

 tent until the animals are beyond the age of one year. 

 When they are confined in stanchions or stalls when 

 taking food, or overnight, dehorning is not so necessary 

 as when they feed together when not on pasture, and 

 yet it is now thought that it will pay well to dehorn 

 cattle sold as baby beef when they get beyond or much 

 beyond the age limit mentioned. 



AH grades, without exception, to be Icept for breed- 

 ing on arable farms should be dehorned. The reasons 

 given below for exempting pure-breds do not apply to 

 grades. A grade that is restless or vicious and possessed 

 of horns may prove a disturber to the peace of a whole 

 herd, and for years in succession. Many grades are not 

 thus vicious, but if these are not dehorned, it may give 

 an advantage over the other animals that they will some- 

 times use to the injury of the latter. 



When horned animals are purchased for feeding in 



