180 The Diseases 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 whole “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 removed, some pine 
tar may be applied and a layer of absorbent cotton 
placed over the wound to stop the bleeding and keep 
ont 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 
