1. Management Practices Dehorning, Docking, and Castration

2. Dehorning b Reasons for dehorning: less injury to each otherless injury to each other less injury to equipmentless injury to equipment less space requiredless space required less chance of injury to handlerless chance of injury to handler eliminates the boss coweliminates the boss cow dehorned cows bring higher pricesdehorned cows bring higher prices they grow fasterthey grow faster for show purposesfor show purposes

3. Methods of Dehorning b 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. b 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 b Spoon and Tube-1-3 mo.; tube is twisted back and forth, then turned to cut underneath horn. b 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 b 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. b Dehorning Clippers-used on any age; used for tipping or regular dehorning; remove 1/2 inch hair

6. Dehorning Method b 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 b Pull arteries with forceps b Cauterize it (Burn it) b Use a commercial blood stopper and gauze b Apply furox once a day for 3-4 days

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

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

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

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

12. Castration Methods b Should be castrated at 1-3 mo. Old b 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 b Elastrator b Burdizzo b Emasculator