308 ILLINOIS DAIRYMEN S ASSOCIATION. 



follow in about twelve hours with fifteen to twenty drops of 

 laudanum and a teaspoonful of dried blood. If the case is a 

 persistent one, one or two raw eggs may be added, as mentioned 

 above, which will help to keep the calf from suffering from 

 hunger, as, under such conditions, it is useless — yes, worse than 

 useless — to give it much milk. 



Dehorning Calves. 



It is much easier, to say nothing of being more humane, to 

 dehorn calves when they are young, preferably when from three 

 to four days old. Clip the hair away from the button ; take 

 a stick of caustic potash, wrapped in some material to protect the 

 ringers, moisten one end with water, and rub gently over the 

 button until the skin becomes slightly raw and smarts a little. 

 In a few days a scab will form, which will soon disappear, and, 

 if the work is properly done, will leave the calf without horns. 

 One application is usually enough, but in case the horns start 

 again the application can be repeated. Care should be taken that 

 none of the caustic potash runs down over the hair, to injure the 

 eyes and skin. 



In case the horns break through the skin before the caustic 

 is applied, it will probably be necessary to use a knife to cut off 

 the button, after which a little caustic potash can be rubbed over 

 the exposed surface. 



There are a number of chemical preparations which give 

 good results, but a man cannot afford to pay very much for them, 

 as caustic potash is comparatively cheap and effective. 



