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examination of witnesses as by collecting- whatever is accessible of the evidence 

 which has been given by experts or others in the trials which have taken place 

 on the subject in England, Ireland and Scotland, and in this province, the judg- 

 ments in the cases tried and any other useful information from any quarter .vhich 

 may be in print or otherwise obtainable." Hon. Mr. Drury was named as chair- 

 man and Mr. Kelso as secretary. 



Organization. 



The first meeting of the Commissioners was held in Toronto on Tuesday, 

 April 19, Hon. Charles Drury presiding and all the members being present. In 

 proceeding with the enquiry it was found that the reasons given for the practice 

 were, that the operation increased the value of the animal to the owner, and that 

 it prevented the cattle from inflicting suffering upon each other. The ground of 

 opposition was, briefly, that the pain inflicted in the operation was excessive and 

 out of proportion to the benefits sought to be attained. 



It was decided to hold meetings at central points in the Province where 

 dehorning had taken place, to issue a circular letter to the Directors of the various 

 United States Agricultural Experiment Stations and others having a knowledge 

 of the question, and to collect the various legal decisions affecting the practice 

 given in Great Britain and elsewhere, together with all other available informa- 

 tion likely to be useful in arriving at a conclusion. 



Scope of the Enquiry. 



In the examination of witnesses the Commissioners sought to ascertain what 

 commercial advantages accrued from the operation; what were the humane 

 considerations as shown by the conduct of the animals towards each other before 

 and after the operation ; the amount of pain inflicted by the operation as 

 judged by the anatomy of the part, the actions of the animal during and 

 following the operation, and the probable duration of the suffering ; the effect 

 upon the general condition as evidenced in the flow of milk,loss of appetite or weight 

 or undue rise of temperature ; the possibility of fraud as to age when the horns 

 were removed ; the extent to which knobbing or tipping the horns was service- 

 able as a preventive of goring ; the best age, the proper season and the most 

 suitable instruments for the operation if it should be permitted ; the relative 

 advantages of taking the horns off when developed, preventing their growth by 

 means of caustic at two weeks old. or cutting out the embryo horn at the age of 

 a month or six weeks — in fact the Commissioners endeavored to elicit 

 information on every phase of the question. 



