1. Management Practices Dehorning, Docking, and Castration

2. Dehorning • Reasons for dehorning: • less injury to each other • less injury to equipment • less space required • less chance of injury to handler • eliminates the boss cow • dehorned cows bring higher prices • they grow faster • for show purposes

3. Methods of Dehorning • Chemical-10 days old; uses caustic soda; should wear gloves; clip hair around horn and apply petroleum jelly; apply 1/16 inch of caustic soda; scurs are common. • Hot Iron-calves 1-3 mo. Old; hold firmly against head for 15 sec.; horn will fall off in 4-6 weeks.

4. Dehorning Methods • Spoon and Tube-1-3 mo.; tube is twisted back and forth, then turned to cut underneath horn. • Elastrator-instrument that stretches a special made rubber band and then deposits it on the hairline at the base of the horn; used on cattle with 3-6 inch horns; poor results

5. Dehorning Methods • Barnes-4-8 mo. Old; place over horns, apply firm pressure against the head; quickly spread apart. A 1/4 in. ring of hair should be removed with horn. • Dehorning Clippers-used on any age; used for tipping or regular dehorning; remove 1/2 inch hair

6. Dehorning Method • Saws (surgical or cosmetic)-most painful; need to use local anesthetic; done on show cattle; skin back hide, remove horn and part of skull, sew hide back, trim off excess hide; remove stitches in 10 days

7. Preventing Excess Bleeding • Pull arteries with forceps • Cauterize it (Burn it) • Use a commercial blood stopper and gauze • Apply furox once a day for 3-4 days

8. Docking • The removal of the tail • Reasons for docking: • keep manure and urine from sticking to tail • improves appearance • eliminates fly problems • makes breeding easier • ID sexes easier • Should be docked before 2 mo. old

9. Docking Methods • Knife-push skin toward body, twist tail 1/4 turn, cut off at appropriate joint. • Elastrator-takes 1-2 mo. for tail to fall off; after 10 days tail can be cut off with knife • Burdizzo-prevents blood loss; hit joint • Emasculator-prevents blood loss; hit joint • Hot Iron-looks like a chisel; heat until red, burn through joint; slower to heal

10. Castration • Reasons for castrating: • improves quality of meat • prevents unwanted pregnancies • allows us to have males and females in same pen • pens and equipment last longer • improves temperament

11. Castration • Reasons for NOT castrating: • bulls gain weight faster than steers • the meat is leaner • Functions of testicles: • produce sperm • produce testosterone (male sex hormone) • Stag-a steer that retains the appearance of a bull

12. Castration Methods • Should be castrated at 1-3 mo. Old • Knife-cut off bottom 1/3 of scrotum; pull down on 1 testicle, scrape cord 2-3 inches above testicle to cut; repeat with other testicle • Elastrator • Burdizzo • Emasculator