Post by thread:[OT] Intro to Bovines 101

Grew up in the country, heard about "polled", but assumed that the horns were pulled, as a way a dehorning them. Seemed to me (at 8 years old) to be more humane than for example using a chain saw or something. I remember dwelling briefly on the thought of how they did the pulling exactly, with a tractor or something? These are the kinds of things that made me the twisted wretch I am today. I won't get into the other thing, so to speak, as you seemed to have solved the calf problem. {Original Message removed}

>-----Original Message----- >From: Roger Books [SMTP:spam_OUTbooksTakeThisOuTMAIL.STATE.FL.US] >Sent: Friday, February 27, 1998 10:13 AM >To: .....PICLISTKILLspam@spam@MITVMA.MIT.EDU >Subject: Re: OT: Intro to Bovines 101 > > ----------------------------snip-------------------------------------- > >(Grew up on a beef farm, we raised Polled Herefords. Occasionally I > helped the neighbors with their dairy cows. I have the (dubious) brag > of saying I reached into a cow up to my shoulders in order to turn a > calf.) > Roger how fast was that calf you turned going when it hit that cow :-) Randy Deane

> >-----Original Message----- > >From: Roger Books [SMTP:booksKILLspamMAIL.STATE.FL.US] > >Sent: Friday, February 27, 1998 10:13 AM > >To: .....PICLISTKILLspam.....MITVMA.MIT.EDU > >Subject: Re: OT: Intro to Bovines 101 > > > > > ----------------------------snip-------------------------------------- > > > >(Grew up on a beef farm, we raised Polled Herefords. Occasionally I > > helped the neighbors with their dairy cows. I have the (dubious) brag > > of saying I reached into a cow up to my shoulders in order to turn a > > calf.) > > > > Roger how fast was that calf you turned going when it hit that cow :-) It was at a dead stop, and the cow was pretty unhappy about it. Roger

> I think there's a technical distinction between "horns" and "antlers" as > well. I think cows have horns (those that have anything, that is...) Antlers fall off and are renewed every year. Horns are permanent. Roger

>> Most "cows" (females) are antlerless, most bulls/steer are antlered. >> Usually only the males are "de-horned" because of their aggressive >> tendencies. >> > >I actually caught Andy in a mistake, never thought that would happen. >Wether a cow (or bull) grows antlers is breed dependant. If the breed >does not grow horns they are called "Polled". I'm not sure why taking >a poll removes your horns, but I am avoiding telephone polls because I'm >not sure what else is removed. Roger, What was my mistake? I knew the breed dependency. A neighbor had a problem with a bull who insisted on using his horns on farmhands. The vet removed them (it didn't make him friendlier, just less able to puncture ribs). Thanks! Andy ================================================================== Andy Kunz - Montana Design Go fast, turn right, and keep the wet side down! ==================================================================

At 12:54 PM 2/27/98 PST, you wrote: >I think there's a technical distinction between "horns" and "antlers" as well. >I think cows have horns (those that have anything, that is...) Look inside them - it's pretty obvious. Andy ================================================================== Andy Kunz - Montana Design Go fast, turn right, and keep the wet side down! ==================================================================