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dehorning they gave just as much milk in proportion as the cows that were not dehorned. I do 

 not claim that there was an increase, but I do claim that there was no decrease. Here is the 

 record in the factory books for two weeks of Mr. York's cows, and of my own herd, which was 

 not dehorned : 



Dehorned cows. — Tuesday, 510 lbs. ; Wednesday, 500 ; Thursday, 504 ; Friday (day of 

 dehorning), 475 ; Saturday, 374 ; Tuesday, 485 ; Wednesday, 431 ; Thursday, 382 ; Friday, 

 418; Saturday, 393. The average was 47 2| the week before, and 4214 the week following 

 dehorning. 



Cows not dehorned— Tuesday, 405 lbs ; Wednesday, 360 ; Thursday, 303 ; Friday, 362 ; 

 Saturday, 356. Second week— Tuesday, 403 lbs; Wednesday, 352 ; Thursday, 321; Friday,' 

 353, and Saturday, 296. The average for the first week was 370 1-5, and for the second, 346. 



Mr. Facey. — This record shows that while there was a falling off in Mr. York's case, there 

 was about an equal falling off in the other herd where the horns had not been removed. Mr. York 

 also claimed that his herd had practically nothing to eat the day of dehorning until 4 or 5 o'clock 

 and this should be allowed for. It is my duty to see that we get good milk, free from any 

 taint, at the factory. To detect and reject tainted milk is one of the most important points in 

 cheese-making. I think we would notice it, not only in the odor, b it in the working of the 

 curds. I examined carefully the milk coming from dehorned cattle, but could not see anything 

 the matter with it. I looked specially at the milk the day after the operation, and if I had 

 found the least difference, I would have rejected it or set it aside. We have had bloody milk 

 delivered at the factory, owing to the goring of the udder, and we have had to reject it. 1 

 think the operation should be performed in cool weather and not in fly time. 



Joseph Franks, farmer, Dorchester, Middlesex county, sworn : I keep twenty-five cows. 

 I have not dehorned my cattle, but would have done so last fall if I hadn't intended to dispose 

 of my farm. I saw Mr. Bopkins' cattle and asked him where he got so many muleys and he 

 told me they had been dehorned. I have not lost any animals by hooking, but I have had them 

 badly injured. I do not think that knobbing cures the tendency to hook. I purchased some 

 animals with knobs on and it didn't seem to do much good. I consider that all loss would be p-acti- 

 cally done away with by taking off the horns, and that it would be a perfect pleasure to go up and 

 down among your cattle. In judging the age I do not depend upon the horns. I think if a cow 

 has good teeth she's all right. Cows generally decrease in value after ten years, but some of 

 them are good up to fifteen or seventeen years. I agree with what has been said by other wit- 

 nesses in favor of dehorning. I think there should be some provision that any one making a 

 bungling job of it should be punished, because it is every man's duty to get'the best instruments 

 and have the work well done. The fall I consider, is the best time for the operation. I have 

 a muley cow and when she rushes in to drink, the others seem to know that she is defenceless 

 and won't interfere with her. Then I bought two dehorned cows and these two are attacked 

 more than any others in the herd. 



Benjamin Cook, farmer, Avon, Middlesex county, sworn : 



Mr. Drury. — Are you the owner of cattle, Mr. Cook? A. Yes, I have only about three 

 just now, but have had as many as twenty. Have had to do with cattle all my life. 



Q. Have you had inconvenience from the horns of cattle 1 No, I have not seen enough 

 damage to cattle to justify the present operations. 



Q. Do you let other stock run with your cattle ? A. Yes, but I have a colt that I could 

 not let into the pasture with the cows ; it would run them over the fence. 



Q. You have not dehorned your cattle ? A. No, I see no necessity for it. 



Q. Have you seen the operation performed ? A. Yes, I saw it the other day with the 

 Commission at York's. 



Q. Now, suppose a man believed there was considerable benefit, and assuming that the 

 operation was attended by pain, do you think he would be justified in resorting to itl No, the 

 operation must be a painful one — it certainly is, and it looks to me to be fraudulent. The horns 

 are a splendid guide to the age. 



Q. You think that the buyer would be at the mercy of the seller as to the age of dehorned 

 cattle ? A. Yes, I think he would. 



Q. Have you ever seen cattle horn one another at the watering place ? A. Sometimes they 

 push each other out of the way but I can't say that I ever saw much injury in that respect. I 

 can see no occasion for this dehorning, unless in the case of a vicious bull or cow. In such a 

 case it might be justifiable, but that is no reason for taking the horns off the whole herd. 



Q. Do you consider castration as justifiable 1 A. Yes, it i3 a custom and it is a necessary 

 cruelty. 



Q. Which would you say was most painful to the animal — castration or dehorning ? A. 

 I hard'y think that dehorning is as painful as castration. 



