DEHORNING AND CASTRATING CATTLE. 



9 



Figure 6 shows the front view of the second type of chute. The 

 drawing- shows one side made sloping. The advantage of this is t bat 

 the bottom may be made narrower. This works better for smaller 

 animals, and large animals are not so likely to get down. The dotted 

 lines show the position of the head 

 clamp when open. To hold the 

 clamp closed, the lever is notched 

 on the underside and works in a 

 loop with a bolt or pin through it 

 so that the notches will drop over 

 it. A pin or bolt is inserted in the 

 hole in the crossbar at the top 

 to hold the other head-clamp bar. 

 For small animals this clamp bar 

 is left closed. This type of chute 

 is easier to construct than the one' 

 shown in figure 5, but will not 

 permit the cattle to pass out 

 through the front. 



Figures 7 and 8 show the sides of the chute, which may be used 

 for either type. The gate is convenient for letting the animal out 

 of the chute and may also be used to advantage in vaccinating. It 

 may be placed on whichever side is most convenient, except that it 

 can not be placed on the sloping side of the type shown in figure 6. 



After the animal is in the chute and the head clamp is closed, a 

 bull ring should be placed in its nose, or a loop placed around the 

 neck and a noose slipped on its nose; the head is then pulled around 

 and the end of the rope fastened to the pin shown on the side of the 

 front post. This forces the animal's head to one side, so that the 

 outside horn will extend forward, which makes it convenient for 

 sawing or clipping. After one horn is taken off the head can be 

 forced to the other side by fastening the rope to the pin in the oppo- 

 site post. 



CASTRATION OF CATTLE. 



Another type of dehorning chute 

 with sloping side. 



The primary reason for castrating bull calves and making steers 

 of them is that the quality of the flesh of steers is superior to that 

 of bulls, and bull calves that are allowed to run too long without 

 being castrated lose the refinement desired in feeder steers. 



A very important result of castrating, aside from the increased 

 value of the animal from a beef standpoint, is that it removes in- 

 ferior or scrub bulls from the herd. 



TIME TO CASTRATE. 



It is very important that bull calves be castrated before they be- 

 come troublesome and before they begin to look "staggy." Calves 



