. Dehorning and castrating cattle. Castration; Dehorning. 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 ex
. Dehorning and castrating cattle. Castration; Dehorning. 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
Size: 1698px × 1471px
Photo credit: © Central Historic Books / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1900, bookdecade1910, bookpublisherwashingtondcusdept
