26 



SUGGESTED ALTERNATIVES. 



.Many persons opposed to the practice of dehorning have claimed that knob- 

 bing or tipping the horns of viciously-disposed animals is sufficient to meet all 

 reasonable requirements. " Knobbing " is the placing of brass or wooden knobs 

 on the points of the horns, while " tipping " is cutting off the sharp points to the 

 extent of an inch or an inch and a half. 



The evidence shows that these precautions may prevent the more serious 

 form of injury, but they do not, it was generally admitted, change the disposition 

 of the animal or prevent it from doing damage. Some views expressed along 

 this line were as follows : 



Robert Gillett, farmer, Norfolk, England : "I have tipped horns for the last thirty or 

 forty years. I never found any benefit from it. Q. Then why did you continue it so long ? 

 A. It was our custom. Q. By tipping with aflat end, or a knob that makes the blow glance 

 off, were they not prevented from injuring one another? A. Not a bit, sir. 



Robin Cook, farmer, Norfolk, England : "I trie 1 tipping ten or twelve times, and it 

 made no difference to the animal. They rush at one another just the same. I even tried i4 

 after 1 found out it was no go >d." 



(The above was given in evidence in the English case of Ford v. Wiley.) 



Spencer A. Freeman, farmer, Culloden, Ont. (Before the Commission) : "I am in favor 

 of dehorning 1 commenced at first with cutting off the tips of the horns ; this was not 

 altogether successful as there was the same tendency to knock each other about. I tried again 

 by taking a little more off the horn, but f unrl they c uld hook as much as ever in the course of 

 a year or so, and 1 then decided to have the horn taken off. 1 had a colt that was ripped up 

 and I attributed it to the cattle, even after the horns had been tipped. I am satisfied there is 

 wiore pain in taking off the tips of the horns of a two-year old to reach the quick than there ia 

 in dehorning." 



George W. Curtis, Director of the Texas Agricultural Station, says : "I have tried knob- 

 bing and tipping and consider both practically worthless with vicious animals." 



Frank E. Stiver, dairyman, North Norwich, Oxford county : "I have bought cows with 

 wooden knobs on ; of couise they could not do as much harm, but 1 do not think the disposi- 

 tion was in any way changed." 



Isaiah W. Elliott, farmer, Oxford county : "I tried putting knobs on the horns of twenty 

 or thirty cows. It prevented them from tearing, but did not preveut them from but ing or 

 hooking." 



Frank S. Emery, agriculturist, North Carolina Agricultural Station: "Animals witk 

 knobbed horns, wnile less dmgerous, can and do make just as much distu.b,tnce in a herd *s 

 though no knobs were on them." 



■6" 



Dehorn Only Vicious Animals. 



Again, it was urged that only the vicious should be dehorned and that the 

 quieter animals should be allowed to retain their horns. To this argument, 

 which seems at a first glance to be a reasonable one, all the witnesses favoring 

 the practice raised the objection that it would not meet the case. In every herd 

 they say, there is a master or boss who compels submission on the part of all the 

 others. The removal of one boss, simply means that another takes its place. 



