DEHORNING AND CASTRATING CATTLE. 



5 



only loosely attached to the skull and appears more as a part of the 

 skin. The hair should he clipped off over and around the horns and 

 vaseline applied around the edge of the hair. This is to prevent the 

 caustic from spreading and causing a sore on the skin adjacent to 

 the horn. The end of the stick of caustic is then slightly moistened 

 and ruhhed on each horn alternately three or four times, allowing 

 it to dry each time before applying to the next. The stick should be 

 wrapped in paper with one end exposed, as the caustic will burn 

 the hands if it gets on them. Extreme care should also be taken not 

 to have the stick so wet that the solution from it will run down the 

 side of the calf's head. Neither should the operation be done when 

 there is a likelihood of rain in a few hours, unless the calves are to 

 be kept under shelter, because the rain will wash the caustic down 

 into the hair over the face and possibly into the eyes, causing a 

 severe burn and probably loss of sight. When the caustic is properly 

 used a scab will form over the bud and drop off within a few days. 



"When the operation is successfully performed with caustic potash 

 it leaves the head in better shape than when done later with saw or 

 clippers. This is especially desirable in heifer calves that pre to be 

 kept in the breeding herd. 



DEHORNING WITH SAW OR CLIPPERS. 



After the horns of calves have reached a certain size it becomes 

 necessary to cut them off. Saws and clippers are the two common 

 instruments used for 

 this purpose. The 

 clippers are quicker 

 and less painful to 

 the animal, but the 

 saw does not crush the 

 horn as do the clip- 

 pers, especially in the 

 case of old animals 

 whose horns have be- 

 come hard and brittle. 

 On the other hand, 

 when the saw is used 

 there is not so much 

 bleeding, as the action 

 of the saw causes the 

 blood vessels to be 

 lacerated, and a clot of 

 •blood forms quickly. 



Clippers give very good results with young cattle, but with old 

 animals the saw should be used, as the crushing of the hard bone in 

 an older animal causes the bone to sliver, which makes a wound that 



Fig. 1. — Dehorning saws. These saws are light and 

 convenient. A one-inch blade is the most satisfactory 

 because it is not so liable to run to one side in the 

 horn. The blade should be kept tight to avoid this 

 trouble. 



