1905. 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
259 
HOWTO DISHORN CATTLE. 
What is the best method, of dishorning 
oattle? If horns are removed with saw or 
clippers when should it be done? .Is it prac¬ 
tical to stop the growth of horns on calves by 
the use of caustic potash, or to remove the 
small horns with a knife? w. b. 
Perryville, N. Y. 
How can I dishorn a young calf? It is 
nearly two weeks old now, and will suck until 
four weeks old. I think caustic potash is 
used. Do you dampen the place, then rub the 
caustic on it? r. m. k. 
Ludlow, Ky. 
The easiest and simplest way to re¬ 
move horns is to use caustic potash on 
the young calf, just as the embryo horns 
are appearing. One can get the potash 
sticks at any drug store. The little ten¬ 
der button should be wet, and a little 
potash rubbed on the moistened surface 
of the horn points until sufficient caustic 
has been transferred to the moisture. It 
may be necessary to give more than one 
application, but the calf will not mind. 
The horns may be cut off with a knife 
if desired, but it is easier to use potash, 
clippers or saw. If the horn has any 
special development of importance, then 
it must be removed by clipping or saw¬ 
ing. I have used the clippers on young 
animals 12 to 18 months’ old, and have 
removed the horns so suddenly they have 
not realized what was happening. The 
clippers should be placed well down about 
the base of the horn, and placed diago¬ 
nally so as to take off the horn true all 
around, including on its butt a ring of 
about a half-inch of skin. If the horn is 
not cut down low, then in time conspicu¬ 
ous knobs will most likely develop. In 
cutting, the horn should be removed 
slanting toward the poll, so as to give as 
nearly a polled appearance as possible. 
Dishorning clippers are made very strong, 
so that they will readily remove old and 
hard horns. However, if one lacks the 
clipper then the saw is the next best 
thing, and some even prefer this to the 
clipper. There are people who say that 
they are unable to place the clipper near 
enough to the head to cut the horn 
off as close as it should be. If a saw is 
used, it should be a fine-tooth boxing 
saw, or butcher’s saw with stiff back. In 
this case, the same policy must be pur¬ 
sued to cut down good and close on the 
head as recommended in using the clip¬ 
pers. 
Methods of fastening cattle in dishorn¬ 
ing differ. Professional dishorners in 
the West go about with a stanchion and 
crate arrangement, in which the cattle 
are driven and placed so tight that strug¬ 
gling is very limited. Then the head is 
fastened so that no movement is possi¬ 
ble, and the horns are sawed off with 
strong, quick strokes, keeping the blade 
going in the direction wanted. John M. 
Jamison, of Ross Co., Ohio, gives the 
following description in Breeders’ Gazette 
of 1903, of a dishorning chute, which is 
as follows: 
Length and height six feet by three and 
a half feet wide at top in front end, and 
four and a half feet wide at top in back end. 
The bottom board is 12 inches wide and two 
inches thick. Seven cleats one and one-half 
inch thick are nailed on top of it to keep the 
animal from slipping. The board on the left 
side with rope in it is to hold the nose, and 
is nailed on the frame three feet four inches 
from the bottom. The holes through the 
plank are bored four Inches from each side 
of the plank and one inch from the end of 
the cage. Three crosspieces two hy four 
inches are put under the bottom of the cage, 
and of sufficient length to keep cage from 
tinning over when in use. The upright 
pieces on the sides of the cage are two hy 
four inches and are bolted to the bottom 
cross-pieces. They are fastened across the 
top of two pieces to each set of uprights 
bolted on. An upright lever is bolted to the 
bottom cross-piece at the front end of cage 
at one side of the bottom, -the top end play¬ 
ing between the pieces bolted on each side 
of uprights and held in desired place with 
an iron pin when holding the animal. When 
the horns are off it is thrown back and the 
animal allowed to go out towards front or 
back out, as size will allow. Three hand¬ 
spikes are used. One passes through the 
cage back of the animal, one over its neck 
and one through the rope on the opposite of 
plank from nose. 
The accompanying illustration below 
is reproduced from the Gazette, showing 
something of the construction. Mr. Jami¬ 
son states that thousands of animals have 
been dishorned in this chute, and all sizes 
of cattle may be handled in it. 
After dishorning the blood will spurt 
from about the stump, and a cavity shows 
where the horn was. The bleeding will 
do no harm, even if considerable blood is 
apparent. It will soon stop. A bit of 
warm pine tar may be painted over the 
wound. This is healing, and in Summer 
repels flies. Ordinarily the wound will 
heal up rapidly without special trouble. 
Any common coal tar, sheep dip or cre- 
oline, diluted in water one to 50 will 
serve as a good antiseptic wash if fur¬ 
ther treatment beyond the pine tar is 
needed. In Summer, during fly season, it 
is important to watch and keep the wound 
well disinfected to prevent maggots oc¬ 
curring. Dishorning may be performed 
at any time of the year, but the most ob¬ 
jectionable period is during fly season. 
The operation is not as bad as some 
think. Years ago, when connected with 
the Tennessee Experiment Station, I had 
a number of animals dishorned. Prior to 
the operation a veterinarian took the tem¬ 
perature and pulse of the animals, and 
again right after it, and no disturbance 
was noted. Usually dishorned animals 
soon go to eating without more ado than 
perhaps shaking the head a bit, and many 
do not even do that. Dishorning has 
come to stay, and a large per cent of the 
cattle now shipped into the Chicago 
yards are hornless. Western feeders do 
not like horns. c. s. plumb. 
“SOFT-SHELLED ” EGG DISEASE. 
A few Winters ago while the hens were 
laying heavily, there came about almost an 
epidemic of soft shelled and broken- 
ended eggs. My wife protested daily that 
it was interfering with our shipments and 
affecting our profits, and in fact the matter 
soon became so serious I wrote to Dr. P. 
T. Woods, giving him in detail the meth¬ 
od of caring for the flock. His reply ap¬ 
proved our management and advised as a 
remedy 10 drops of corn smut (Ustilago 
maydis) in a pint of drinking water. With¬ 
in a few days the difficulty had passed, the 
eggs resuming their normal condition. 
Since that time we have used this remedy 
sucessfully, and if we locate a biddy lay¬ 
ing a double-yolked egg she is treated to 
a dose always ready in a little oil can and 
it has not failed to effect a cure. The 
cause of soft-shelled eggs is a disordered 
condition of the oviduct and when eggs 
are selling at 30 to 40 cents per dozen it 
pays to keep this oviduct in first class 
order. f. c. c. 
North Carolina Hens. —Allow me to ex¬ 
press my appreciation for “The Business 
Hen." I am studying it. and expect to try 
to graft some of the good things taught in 
it on our little flock of scrub pullets—yes, 
about ltl or 18 typical scrubs of all colors, 
sizes and shapes, roosting in the trees every 
night, and though it has been snowing, sleet¬ 
ing, raining or freezing continually for tiyo 
months, this little flock has given us 
more than 50 dozen eggs since November 1, 
fed on corn and peas—not a thing more. 
I’erhaps I should make an apology for this 
poor treatment. Wife and I are young— 
just moved to “ourselves” last Summer, prac¬ 
tically in the woods. We got everything 
comfortably housed before Winter except the 
poultry. Usually our Winters are so mild 
that poultry do not need much housing, some¬ 
times not enough snow to cover the ground, 
but this is a record breaker, the most cold, 
snow and sleet we ever saw. r. l. w. 
Pinnacle, N. C. 
When you write advertisers mention The 
R. N.-Y. and you’ll get a quick reply and 
“a square deal,” See guarantee, page 18. 
Get ALL 
the Butter 
Ou t of 
Your Milk 
If you don’t get all the 
butter out of your milk 
you don’t get all the profit 
out of your cows. You can 
not get all the butter out of your 
milk by the old-fashioned way of skim¬ 
ming, but you can with a 
NATIONAL 
SEPARATOR 
It skims to a trace and is the 
easiest to run, easiest to wash, 
durable of all separators. 
6 aves its cost the first year. 
Seud to-day fur our book 50 which 
proves that you need a Nutional 
Monthly Payment Plan 
When desired, the National Sepa- 
cau be purchased ou our 
easy payment plan. This plaa 
requires no payment until the 
Separator has proven its worth 
after five day s’trial. Then cuuies 
a small cash payment; the bal¬ 
ance iu easy monthly instalments. 
National Dairy Machine Co. 
Newark, N. J. 
Western Airenta: 
Industrial ('«., 
8t., Chicago, 111. 
Desirable agent* wanted in 
unoccupied territory. 
A 30 years test 
Pratts Animal Regulator. 
Mad* by Pratt Food Co., Pbila. Over 20 year* old. 
SOME FACTS ABOUT 
FARM CREAM SEPARATION 
What the BEATRICE CREAMERY COMPANY, of Lincoln, 
Neb., the biggest, greatest and most successful creamery 
concern in the world, has to say of the De Laval Cream Sep¬ 
arators and Farm Separation : 
“ The De Laval Hand Separator will make the farmer double the 
money over the old way of handling milk and will prove twice as dura¬ 
ble as the so-called ‘just as good ’ hand separator. 
“ We have sold over 15,000 De Laval separators since we inaugu¬ 
rated the Hand Separator system in the West, and we expect to add 
5,000 more to this number during 1905. 
“ We are now operating over 600 separator cream receiving stations, 
with an agent at each point pleased to call on the farmer and explain 
how quickly he can pay for a De Laval Separator from what he is losing 
by dairying in the old way. 
“ We have paid as high as 25 and 30 cents per pound for butter fat 
each winter since 1900, and the future looks brighter for dairying than 
ever before. 
“ We have 20,000 satisfied patrons receiving our cream checks regu¬ 
larly, and at a low estimate will pay out over Three Million Dollars for 
cream during the year of 1905.” 
What the Beatrice Company is doing, more than 2,000 
other creamery concerns are doing on a comparatively smaller 
scale, everyone with satisfaction and success. Scarcely a suc¬ 
cessful creamery concern anywhere is today attempting the use 
or sale of other than De Lava/ machines. Nearly all who 
have tried other machines have either changed to the DE 
LAVAL or abandoned the handling of separators. 
The De 
Randolph & Canal Sts., 
CHICAGO. 
1213 Filbert Street) 
PHILADELPHIA 
9 & II Drumm St,., 
SAN FRANCISCO. 
Laval Separator Co. 
General Ofiices: 
74 Cort/andt Street, 
NEW YORK. 
121 Youvllle Square 
MONTREAL. 
75 & 77 York Street, 
TORONTO. 
248 McDermot-Avenue, 
WINNIPEG. 
An Inflamed Tendon 
NEEDS COOLING 
ABSORBINE 
Will doit and restore the circulation, 
assist nature to repair strained, rup¬ 
tured ligaments more successfully than 
Firing. No blister; no hair gone; and 
you can use the horse. 82.00 per bottle 
'delivered. Book 2-11 Free. 
ABSORBINE, JR., for mankind $1.00 
Bottle. Cures Strained Torn Liga¬ 
ments. Cures Varicose Veins. Allays 
pain quickly. Genuine manufactured only by 
W. F, YOUNG, P.D.F,, 88 MonmouthSt.,Springfield,Mass. 
Iai>9 All Dllll oios. old, solid color, 
UClScV DUII very lino, good size, (lams 
Gutter record, 22 lbs. in 7 
days, sire’s dam, 24 lbs. in 7days. 3 Bull Calves 6 weeks 
old. Dams’ butter record, 16 to 22 lbs. in 7 days. 
Sire same as above. Price low for quality. 
Ira P. Watson, Fredonia, N. Y. 
L. E. OUTIZ, General manager 
HIGHEST GLASS JERSEYS 
GOLDEN STREAMER 65000 
Son of Forfarshire out of Golden Stream 8 th, 
born Feb. 22,1901, and considered the best Jersey bull 
that ever crossed the Atlantic as a two-year old. 
A few choice Bull Calves for sale by GOLDEN 
STREAMER and GULDEN FERN’S LAD out of Im¬ 
ported cows. 
Specialty Young Bulls and Heifers, all ages. 
Also Imp. CHESTER WHITES and BERKSHIRE 
PIGS. Standard-Bred BLACK MINORCAS and 
WHITE WYANDOTTK 8 . 
HU Correspondence solicited. 
WEDNICV FARM, White Plains, N, V. 
The Drown Iron Cow Stall 
All the rage. Beat in the world. Used 
In th FINEST state, government and pri¬ 
vate dairy bariiH In the U. 8. Seud for 
beautiful circular to KING A WaLKKR 
CO., Madison, Wisconsin. Dept. N. 
« ■ | Steel frame, round. Preserve por¬ 
tly I ^9 fectly, hist long All convenience. 
— Special rates to clubs and granges. 
International Silo Co., Dept. B., Jefferson, O. 
Pot Bellied 
Calves 
are neither pretty nor profitable. 
This condition arises from over¬ 
feeding, causing gas to accumu¬ 
late in the stomach with accom¬ 
panying indigestion, constipation 
and scours. It is remedied by 
DR. HESS 
Stock Food 
the old reliable digestor and con¬ 
ditioner. 
Dr. Hess Stock Food is not a 
condimental food,but a scientific 
stock tonic and laxative, the fa¬ 
mous prescription of Dr. Hess 
(M. D., D. V. S.), that tones up 
the organs of digestion and assim¬ 
ilation. Rapid development and 
immunity fr jm the diseases com¬ 
mon to the calf is made possible 
while increas’ lg the vitality, and 
carrying the >oung stock beyond 
the danger point. 
fh per lb In 100 1b aaeka, 
Y 25 lb pail «1.60 
r Except In 
Canada and 
extreme 
_■ Smaller quantities a West ami 
W little higher. SiuaM done. L South. 
8old on a Written Cuarantee. 
DR. HESS & CLARK 
Asliland, Ollio 
Also manufacturers of Dr. Hess Poultry 
l’an-a-ee-a and Instant Loum Killer. 
