hornlos

Hornlos is a German word that translates to "hornless" in English. It is commonly used in agricultural contexts, particularly when referring to cattle. Certain breeds of cattle are naturally hornless, a trait known as polled. This trait is often desirable in farming as it reduces the risk of injury to both animals and handlers, and also eliminates the need for dehorning, a procedure that can be painful for the cattle.

The polled trait is determined by a specific gene. In some cases, cattle that are not naturally polled may be surgically dehorned or have their horns chemically cauterized when they are very young to prevent them from growing. The term "hornlos" can also be applied more broadly to other animals that lack horns, such as certain breeds of goats or sheep. Outside of an agricultural context, "hornlos" might be used descriptively for any object or entity that is missing a horn-like protrusion.