Does a cow have horns and why does it need horns, structure and how to remove and use

Thanks to the work of breeders, many unusual cattle breeds have appeared. When purchasing a pet, an experienced farmer will take an interest not only in the productive qualities of a cow, but also check if the new cow has horns. Modern livestock breeders are trying to get rid of the horny processes on the heads of animals. The dehumidification procedure prevents serious injury to the cows and ensures the safety of the owners.

Why does a cow need horns?

It is difficult to imagine a cow without a pair of sharp horns. Of course, there are breeds of hornless cows, but they are rarely found. Nature did not give the cow sharp claws and strong teeth, but she awarded them with horns. The paired organ serves as the only protection for the cows from predators. In addition, the horny processes have another purpose:

1. The horns on the head of a cow are a means to attract the attention of bulls.

1. Males use a formidable weapon to successfully fight for supremacy among their own kind. The leading place is invariably occupied by the owner of the largest horny processes.

People use pet horns as a fixing device:

1. Having tied the cow by the horns, the owners carry out medical and caring procedures.
2. On an impromptu leash, the animal is led in any direction. On a leash, a cow resignedly follows a man.
3. An experienced farmer needs only one glance at the horns of a cow to determine the exact age of the animal.

In bulls, the paired organ is more developed than in the "fair sex". In some individuals, the length of the horns reaches 65-70 cm.

Anatomical structures

The sharp horns of a cow have a complex structure. The outer part of the cornea is a capsule consisting of numerous stem cells. It consists of cells of the epidermis. This is the part of the horn that everyone is used to seeing.

The dermis is hidden under the epidermis layer. It is permeated with a network of blood vessels. The dermis reliably connects the frontal bones to the base of the horn and provides blood supply to the outer cover of the organ. Loose connective tissue is located under the dermis layer.

The cornea is divided into parts:

1. Base. This part contains the root of the horn.
2. Body. The largest, central part of the organ. As a rule, it is the body of the horn that is injured.
3. The apical part of the horny process. There are no blood vessels of numerous nerve endings, so trauma to this part of the horn will not bring suffering to the pet.

Newborn calves have only tubercles - the rudiments of horns. Horns come in different colors. It is not uncommon to find white, black, brown or dark gray scions.

Determination of age by horns

By the state of the horny processes, one can judge the age of the cow. True, this method is not suitable for young heifers. Counting is possible only thanks to the horns of a pet that has repeatedly calved. Each calving of an animal is accompanied by hormonal changes in the pet's body. The epidermis layer begins to actively grow or, conversely, become thinner. The process ends with the appearance of another ring on the cow's horns. The burenka brings offspring no more than once a year, so the number of marks exactly coincides with the age of the animal.

Do I need to do something if the animal broke the horn

If the pet is deficient in nutrients and vitamins, its corneas become brittle and easily break. The same story happens with animals that have reached venerable age. The horns function as an indicator of the animal's health. The lack of vitamins is evidenced by the stratification of the outer coating on the horns.

The inside of the organ is lined with numerous layers of skin. They protect the bone from damage and boast an excellent blood supply. Experts call these layers of skin a sheath. If the protective cover is injured, the wound bleeds and causes the pet to suffer. The cow may cry from pain. The consequences of injury can be severe. When a fracture occurs, the region of the frontal bone opens and the brain is exposed. In this situation, you cannot do without the help of a veterinarian.

In case of a fracture of the cornea body, the cow is given first aid:

1. The wound is thoroughly washed and disinfected. Then the injured place must be tightly bandaged. In some cases, bleeding is stopped with a tourniquet applied to the base of the fractured cornea.
2. The diseased organ is anesthetized and cut down just below the fracture site.
3. On the sawn-off stump, tampons with healing agents and a clean, disinfecting bandage are applied.

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The most dangerous organ injury is a fracture of the base of the horn. In this case, the veterinarian must take emergency measures. The procedure is performed under anesthesia. The animal is firmly fixed. The broken horn is sawed off and the shards of bone are aligned.

Then, tampons soaked in a disinfectant and a sterile bandage are applied to the treated wound.

How to remove horns from a cow

Injuries to the horns bring physical suffering to pets, so farmers often resort to early amputation of the horny processes in animals. As a rule, small calves are subjected to the procedure. At a young age, the operation is almost painless and the wounds heal quickly.

Calves are deformed in different ways:

1. Bloodless amputation of horn buds using a special tight ring. The procedure is performed under local anesthesia. The corneous processes of the calf are pulled together with tight rubber bagels. Thus, the blood supply to the horny capsules is completely stopped and the organs stop growing. After 7-9 days, the dead horn buds fall off.
2. Removing the cornea with a sheet saw. The operation is performed under local anesthesia. Before amputation, large blood vessels are compressed. After removing the processes of the wound, they are treated with an antibiotic, and a bandage is applied. With this method of degeneration, the wound healing process takes a long time. The animal will need at least 2 months to fully recover.
3. Partial amputation of the horns is more common in adult animals. In this case, only the ends of the horny processes are cut off. In these places there are no blood vessels and nerve endings, so the pets undergo the operation painlessly.
4. Removal of horns with chemicals.The procedure is done for very small calves. The maximum age for babies should not exceed 3 weeks. The rudimentary tubercles are treated with a chemical and sealed with a plaster. This method is not very popular due to the pain and possible complications.
5. Amputation of the horns with electricity. The operation is performed on calves up to two months of age. The procedure is carried out using an apparatus called an electrothermal shock. Within 4-5 seconds, the rudimentary tubercles of the horns are cauterized at a temperature of 1000 degrees. After 10-14 days, the dried horny processes fall off.

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Use of sawn horns

People use horns to make decorative items and ornaments. Articles carved from animal bones find a place in the expositions of museums and exhibitions. In the Caucasus, vessels for wine are made from the horns of cows. Such cups are traditionally used during celebrations of significant events.

Cow breeds without horns

Hornlessness of cows is not always achieved artificially. Some animal breeds are initially devoid of horny processes. There are only small tubercles on the heads of these cows. Such animals are called hornless. The name comes from the word "butt", which means "little block" or "growth".

Hornless cows are the fruit of many years of work of breeders. They are in no way inferior to their horned fellow tribesmen. The absence of horns does not affect milk yield and the amount of fattened mass. Horned cows are fertile and do not require special conditions of detention.

Among professional livestock breeders, the following breeds are popular:

1. Russian (hornless). A unique breed was bred by crossing Kalmyk cows with Aberdeen. Strong, muscular animals are champions in meat production. The product yield is 70-80%. Russian bulls easily reach 1300 kg.
2. Redpol. Representatives of the English meat and dairy breed are not afraid of the hot climate. Red-brown cows give about 4.5 thousand liters per year. The weight of an adult bull reaches 800 kg, cows gain no more than 600 kg.
3. Aberdeen Angus. A distinctive feature of the breed is the pleasant roundness of all parts of the body. The cows are known for producing quality beef.