Recently we have had to change the way we run our beef operations. For safety reasons, our butchers eliminate animals with horns. The problem is that our babies have them – and big ones too. One suggestion was that we change the breed to one that had the horns bred out. But our beautiful Highland cattle have thrived on our pristine Vermont hillside for 30 years. We could also remove the horns, but we won't, for the reasons below.
So we are asked: why do we let our cattle keep their horns? Another way to put it is: what's so special about horns?
Thanks in part to the Biodynamic Association, we have an interesting answer.
Dehorning is very painful and the cow's horns are an important part of the anatomy. Dehorning an adult cow requires general anesthesia, antibiotics and something like a chainsaw. Even etching a baby calf's horn buds before they grow requires local anesthesia, and the burn is known to remain painful afterwards.
But most importantly, the cows need their horns.
Horns are not the same as antlers, which fall off every year. Horns are an extension of the cow's sinus cavity and help them smell, identify and digest food. Their horns follow the inner spiral in the sinuses, forming a unique shape for each animal. Both male and female cattle grow horns. The horns are part of how they individualize. We prefer to leave them alone. And although it may seem contradictory to a vegetarian, we believe that humane and natural processing results in tastier and healthier meat.
In addition, our cattle are in transition to both organic and Biodynamic® certification, so removing the horns is not permitted.
If we wanted to continue with USDA-approved, butcher-processed meat, we could switch to another breed whose horns have been bred out.
Instead, we choose to stay with our Highlanders. We love their personality, their hardiness on our Vermont hills, the flavor and healthfulness of their meat and the fact that they are the oldest recorded breed, still retaining a hint of wildness. They look a bit like small bison to us, with beautiful autumn-colored fur. So we keep them, horns and all.
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