De-Horning Book

[alcessapiens]

When I need to dehorn, I think of fat, old, hairy nuns. Works well too…

 

[springfield art]

These have been sitting in a nearby shop for a while. The owner called it a cow horn guillotine. View attachment 176419

I hope that today's vet medicine and practice results in less trauma for the animals. Very important in today's world.

 

[Red Owl]

I don't know much on this topic but I think they came up with some sort of powder you put on the calves to stop horn growth. It continues to amaze me that folks can make a living in ranching. When it was an open prairie (you didn't need have to buy land and fencing, etc.) what ever cattle you had were sort of "Free" which then meant not much in vet. bills, etc. (Texas Fever). But nowadays, bills, bills, bills.

 

[Rifleman1776]

These have been sitting in a nearby shop for a while. The owner called it a cow horn guillotine. View attachment 176419

 

[Rifleman1776]

These have been sitting in a nearby shop for a while. The owner called it a cow horn guillotine. View attachment 176419

Very similar to mine. I have been trying to sell but no one wants.

 

[Rifleman1776]

It continues to amaze me that folks can make a living in ranching.

Make a living ranching? An educated rancher friend of mine once wrote an article on how to make a living ranching. It started out: "first, you inherit a debt free ranch.........".

 

[Red Owl]

No kidding Rifleman. A couple of years ago I took the tour of the King Ranch- was good. They talked about all the money they made but then I started crunching the numbers later on.
Texas Land: $10,000 an acre. Pay taxes. Need at least 20 acres per cow so $10,000 x 20 = $200,000. Get a Utility stock with a 5% dividend -$10,000 per year or $20,000 after 2 years.
COW- have to keep some breeders, can't sell the whole herd. Weighs 1200 sold at $2/lb on hoof= $2400. Wait 2 years, pay for vet bills, feed, fencing, etc. etc. etc. So $1,200 per year less expense- lucky to break even. I can see why some ranches sold off their lands.

 

[The Crisco Kid]

A cattle rancher once told me that the sheepmen were eating beef and the cattlemen were eating beans.
I remember hearing a bull being dehorned when I was a kid in dairy country. He was bellering like it must have really hurt.

 

[Brownwl]

True. But there are still many horned cattle. For whatever reason the farmers did not bother to dehorn them. I always dehorned young. But, I have helped dehorn grown cattle. Very stressful for the animals. I have an antique dehorner that is so heavy it would require two men to use.

It can be stressful on the men doing the work as well, Especially if you don't have a headchute.

 

[Red Owl]

All the stuff in Florida has horns. A lot of folks don't know it but Florida had/has a huge cattle industry.

 

[Codger Craig Wilcox]

Florida, not too long ago, was #1 in cattle.
During an out-of-work period back in the mid-80's, I worked as a cowboy on the big Mormon Ranch west of Melbourne. Long, hard days, but rewarding. Tons of cow/calf work, and most Moms are very protective of their babies. You really do not want to turn your back on the momma while vaccinating and castrating. Got "boosted" over a 6' fence one day, grateful that Mom was dehorned!
Thankful that my Oklahoma uncle, only Vet for two counties, had taught me the trade while I was a young teen. Many of the cattle are totally wild, very dangerous.

 

[deerstalkert]

I really feel sorry for the calves. Poor lil' doggies. castrated, de-horned, ears notched, branded.

then hamburger