92 



Q. Do you substantially agree with Mr. Tooley in his evidence as bo the buying and shipping 

 of cattle '. A. Fes. 



Q Ami you say that if the horns were removed it would be of great advantage in shipping ' 

 A. Yes. I was bitterkj opposed to the practice until 1 heard the opinions of men who had some 

 i sperience with it., 1 am n< \\ quite the other way. 1 think the evidence of men of Mr. York's 

 standing would break down any opposition I would have to the practice. 



Q. Taking all the advantages into consideration, as a shipper and dairyman — and looking at 

 the question from the standpoint of the animals themselves, would you say that the practice 

 should be allowed ' A. Yes. 



WILLIAM V. NlGH, farmer, Avon, Middlesex county, sworn : 



Mr. 1m;i i;y — 1 understand you were prosecuted, Mr. Nigh, for dehorning your cattle ) A. 

 Yes, I dehorned my cattle on December 27 and 29, 1890, and in Februaiy, 1891, an action was 

 entered against me. 



<,». How did the case end ] A. It was dismissed. 



Q. What led you to perform the operation '. A. I had a vicious cow that 1 considered had 

 killed a cow that I found dead in the field. With the help of a neighbor I took its horns off, 

 and when I saw how little it suffered, and the way in which the others went for her, I decided 

 io take the horns off the whole lot. They all did well except one cow ; she got fighting and 

 hurt the stump, and it was a considerable time in healing. I cut them wi'hin about half an inch 

 of the head, but I find now it is better to take them off close to the head, as they look better, 

 and 1 think they don't suffer as much I was the first in Middlesex to dehorn. I thought it 

 was a brutal thing until I performed the operation myself, and then I saw that it was not so bad 

 as 1 expected. 



Q. Now, you have an experience of 18 or 19 months, have you ever regretted it :' A. No, 

 I certainly would do the same thing again unless the law says 1 must not. I did not see any 

 signs of illness after the operation ; the milk did not fall off much, and I never had cattle so 

 easily handled in the winter, or that came out so well in the spring. The case cost me about 

 $50, but the improvement in the animals was equal to the expense. 



To Mr. Gibson. — I think that the younger animals suffer more than the older ones. Tf it 

 could be done successfully, I would be in favor of preventing the growth of horns on calves. I 

 would not recommend any preparation being put on the horn after the operation. I put on tar 

 cotton and a woollen cloth over that, making it air tight. Next day on examining it [ found it 

 popped like an air gun. I think that the gas had accumulated in fcije cavity. It took about six 

 weeks for the sinuses to heal over. 



J wies Rouse, farmer, Dorchester, Middlesex county, sworn, testified as follows : I keep 38 

 dairy cows. Have not dehorned my cattle, but have seen the operation performed on two 

 animals. I was sifmmoned as a witness for the Crown in the Yox'k case. I told the constable I 

 would rather be left out, because I had no experience, and I did not want to say anything against 

 Mr. York, as I had known him so long. I believed they would not have done it unless they 

 thought it was a proper thing. I thought it was a cruel thing, but after I saw the operation 1 

 found it was not as bad as I thought. I went to Mr. York's to see the operation, and carefully 

 watched the animal throughout From the time the cow went into the stanchion until it was 

 out in the yard without horns was only a minute. I think a man with any experience among 

 cattle could tell whether an animal was suffering or not. It was far different from what 1 

 expected ; the bleeding was less, and the pain seemed to be only momentary. Then I visited a 

 number of herds that had been dehorned, and the animals all seemed to be doing well. I saw 

 no injury as a result of the opera i n. In fact, my mind now is that if there is no law against 

 it I would have my ca'tle dehorned within 24 hours I think that the law should allow it. It 

 certainly is cruelty to animals in a Luge herd the way they .ore each other. Then if the horns 

 are off a man can go to bed at night feeling that his cattle are in no danger if one or two should 

 get loose. 1 visited Mr. Hawkins' place and saw his herd drinking. 1 counted 11 drinking out 

 of the tank at oncer, and in 8 minutes they were all satisfied ami went away. I have a trough 8 

 feet long, and when I tinned my cattle out to dr nk they were an hour and ten minutes before 

 they were all through 28 of them. 1 am what the London Advertiser calls a "'converted 

 dehorner." If it involved great suffering ] would not advocate it. Everyman I ever heard of 

 is satisfied that it is a benefit to the stock and to the cattle themselves. 



ROB] i; i FACEY, cheese-maker, Hanietsville, sworn, gave evidence as follows : 1 manage the 

 Harrietsville cheese factory. We made 258 tons of cheese last year, aid received the milk of 

 about 1,200 cows 1 am now in favor of dehorning cattle, but thought atone time that it was a 

 cruel practice. 1 changed my opinion by seeing the operation and noting the results as seen in 

 •he cheese factory. Mr. Win. York's cows were dehorned on the 6th of November, and after 



