43 



CORRESPONDENCE. 



In order to obtain as much information as possible, the following circular- 

 letter was drawn up and sent to the Directors of all the United States Experiment 

 Stations, to prominent stockmen and others known to be more or less interested : 



COMMISSION ON DEHORNING. 



Toronto, Ontario, April 27, 1892. 



Members. 



Hon. Chas. Drdry, Chairman. 

 J. J. Kelso, Secretary. 

 Andrew Smith, V.S. Richard Gibson. 

 D. M. Macpherson. Henry Glendinning. 



Dear Sir, — -His Honor the .Lieutenant Governor of this Province in Council has been 

 pleased to issue a Commission, with instructions to obtain all available information, and report 

 upon the practice of Dehorning' Ca tie, recently introduced in Ontario. 



We therefore take the liberty of applying to you — as one having large exper'ence in cattle 

 — for any information which may be in your possession, and which you may be willing to place 

 at our disposal. Answers to the following questions, therefore, or such of them as are within 

 vour knowledge, will be great y appreciated. 



In reply, kindly number answers to correspond with questions : 



1. Do you favor dehorning ? 



2. Have you practiced it — if so, how long, and on about how many head 1 



3. At what age do you prefer to perform the oneration ? 



4. Are there %igns of suffering during or immediately following the operation ? If so, what '. 



5. Does much bleeding or other discharge follow the operation ? 



6. Have you known any animals to die from dehorning — if so, how many 1 



7. How long does it take the animal to fully recover from the effects of the operation \ 



8. After the wound is healed over, does the part remain sensitive or become callous ? 



9. A year after the operation would the animal, if touched or hit lightly upon the spot 

 where the horns had grown, shrink and show signs of pain ? 



10. What instrument is used 1 If a saw is used, is the sawing done towards the crown or 

 outwardly — which is preferable ? 



11. Is any dressing used after dehorning, an if so, what ? 



12. If the operation is performed, how close should the horn be taken off? 



13. Have you known of horses sheep, pigs or cattle being seriously or fatally injured by 

 goring — and is the number, in your opinion, large ? 



14. Does dehorning increase the value of the animal over animals not dehorned ? 



15. Have you tried knobbing or tipping as a preventive of goring — if so, are those methods 

 successful ? 



16. Is disbudding, in your opinion, less painful than dehorning, and would it be sufficient 

 to meet all reasonable requirements 1 



17. If only animals known to be vicious were dehorned, would that be sufficient? 



18. What, briefly, are the advantages of dehorning ? 



19. Do you consider that the suffering inflicted by the operation is justified by !he results, 

 outside of any financial consideration ? 



20. Do you believe the operation to be a humane one, in view of the general results ? 



21. (Remarks on points not covered by questions.) 



.). J. Kelso, Secretary, 



