81 



upon the horn. There may be some preparation better than tar, but I would recommend 

 something being used. The nine dehorned were treated in that way the following day ; two 

 discharged matter, they did not seem to be sick at all. 1 think the bad effects were very small. 

 I was very much opposed to the practice at first, but I believe that the advantages of the 

 practice outweigh the amount of pain inflicted. The practice 1 consider should be legalised. 

 I would have dehorned my herd sooner if the law had been clearer. I have suffered a good 

 deal from horns ; T came very near being killed by a bull once. In the herd animals are 

 constantly goring each other ; two cows have lost quarter of the bag in this way. I do not 

 think that much deception could be practised through the horns being off. Buyers could judge 

 by the teeth and general appearance ; the teeth do not wear down so fast on clay land as on 

 sandy soil, but in judging you have to take the animal as a whole and form an opinion from its 

 general appearance, the rings on the horns are not always a reliable test of the age. I have 

 bought a good many cattle and have gone by the teeth as well as the horns ; it does not require 

 much skill to take off the horns but everyone could not do it. It requires some nerve ; there 

 should be some way of providing that the operation should be properly performed, if the 

 work is done in a bungling and tedious manner the courts would be justified in convicting for it. 

 There is a humane way and a way that is not humane. I had a cow of a very vicious disposition, 

 could not drive her, she chased three men and came very near killing one of them. Taking off 

 her horns changed her disposition, and she is as docile as a lamb now. I have a young red 

 heifer that used to bleed greatly at the nose. It is not troubled this way since dehorning, and 

 the operation seems to have been the making of the animal. 



• 



L. A. Brown, veterinary surgeon, Aylmer, graduate of the Ontario Veterinary College, in 

 practice three years, sworn, said : I performed the operation on about 60 head of cattle. I 

 used a fine saw, and took the horns off as close to the head as possible. I believe this is better 

 than leaving any of the stump, as suppuration rarely occurs when the horn is taken off closely. 

 The largest sinus I have observed after dehorning was in the case of a Holstein bull, the opening 

 being about two inches and taking nearly three months to close over. There was very little 

 discharge. The pain only seemed to last during the actual operation ; I did not use a 

 knife. I consider the operation a beneficial one ; it is painful but only for the moment. 

 After being released the animals show no sign of pain. I have taken the temperature in a few 

 cases but have not noticed much difference. In all that I have dehorned there were no 

 unfavorable results. There were one or two that discharged a slight limpus or mucous for a 

 few days. From my knowledge of the part and of the operation I consider it a good thing in 

 dairying districts, both for the animals and the owner. The operation does not require much 

 skill to perform provided the party understands the business, properly secures the animal and 

 uses a proper saw. While dehorning may be painful it is not cruel, as it is done for a good 

 purpose. More suffering is caused I believe by the offensive use of horns than the animal suffers 

 in having the horns removed. The time in taking off both horns would be 6 to 10 seconds. 

 I have not tried disbudding with the knife, but have U3ed potash caustic on about 30 calves 

 three weeks and under. In some cases it was a success. All that was necessary was to clip the 

 hair from the budding horn and thoroughly apply the caustic : an over applicati n would of 

 course be liable to spread. I consider the best results are secured by removing the horns from 

 the grown animal at about three years of age. I am quite satisfied that the suffering is not 

 considerable. I believe that the best time to perform the operation is in the cold weather as 

 there is less vitality in the horn then than in the warm weather. If the animal were kept in a 

 comfortable stable I do not consider that a covering to the wound is necessary. I have tried 

 an antiseptic application to the cut, and that of course does no harm. 



Wednesday, May 11. 



The mem 1 ers of the Commission assembled at the Mattheson House, Tilsonburg, at 

 9 o'clock Wednesday morning, May 11, and, accompanied by Hon. Mr. Dryden, Minister of 

 Agriculture, started out to visit a number of farms where dehorned cattle were kept. The 

 first stop was made at the farm of A. L. Scott, Middleton township, where a herd of about 

 30 dehorned cattle were driven in from pasture. They came up the lane in a bunch, as 

 quiet and orderly as a tiock of sheep, something which, Mr. Scott said, did not often occur 

 before the horns were taken off. The Commissioners had abundant opportunity for closely 

 inspecting the cattle, and had no fault to find with their general appearance. Mr. Scott, who 

 was present, expressed himself as in every way satisfied with the results of the operation. 

 Other farms visited were those of D. T. Smith and Thos. Rutherford, Dereham township, and 

 at both these places herds of twenty to thirty dehorned cattle were seen, moving about 

 among each other in confined spaces with the utmost harmony. All appeared to be doing well. 



At noon the Commissioners were invited to take dinner at Mr. Edward York's farm, 



6 (D.C.) 



