94 



Q. [f in evidence it wore shown that shippers and drovers unanimously complain of loss and 

 injury from horns, would you then say that the operation was a justifiable one? A. No, 1 

 cant see that dehorning is justifiable in this age. In shipping cattle I think they ought to be 

 tied up and have room to lie down in the cars. 



Q. But that would involve considerable cost to the shipper 1 A. Can't help that. I think 

 that the dumb animals should be properly treated. In the yards at the stations and markets 

 fchej ought to be tied up and properly watered and fed. 



Q. Sou believe that the circumstances do not justify the pain inflicted. A. Yes, the ani- 

 mal does not deserve such treatment. 



Q. Do you not think thai the pain is during the actual time in taking off the horns ? A. 



I can't say that there was particular evidence of suffering. The cattle started to eat afterwards, 

 but they appeared hungry, and I guess they didn't have much before that. 



Q. You think that an animal may suffer pain and yet go on eating ? A . Yes. 



Q, Do you agr< e that a man who is among cattle constantly will readily pick out one that is 

 sick / A. Yes, 1 think he could notice it. 



Q. Have you seen cases of broken horn .' A. Yes. 



Q. Did that impress you that they suffered a great deal '. A. Yes, they appeared very sen- 

 sitive and almost refused to eat : would hold their head to one side and sometimes getaway in a 

 corner by themselves. 



Q. Now, did you see any suffering of that kind among the cattle at Mr. Y'ork's ? A. No, 

 not so much suffering as from broken horns, but an animal might be suffering considerable pain 

 and yet not show signs of it. 



Q. Is your opinion based upon a study of the animal's head? A. No, but from the cavity 

 it appears to me that there is a close contact with the brain from those openings. I believe 

 there is a thin lining there, and that the nerves that run through the horn must be connected 

 with the brain. The animal may not show it, but the operation must cause stinging pains at 

 times. No man can tell what the suffering may be. 



Mr. Kelso. — You believe that financial benefit would not be a justification for the opera- 

 tion I A. Yes, no consideration of that kind ought to come into the settlement of this question. 

 On moral grounds I can see nothing that justifies dehorning. It seems to me that in this age of 

 civilization we ought nol to inaugurate a new cruelty. 



Mr. Driky. — Would you be influenced by the judgment of men who are of good standing 

 and are respected in the community, who say that they were at first opposed to the practice, 

 but having seen it and its results are now in favor of it? A. No, because these men have 

 made mon y out of these cat'le. They have built fine houses out of their profits and I think 

 they ought to be content to 1 ave the horns on. 



Q. Suppose it can be shown that there is no decrease in the flow of milk of a herd that has 

 been dehorned ? A. Mj' impression would still be that there was no justification for the 

 operation. Two weeks or six weeks after when I find them suppurating under ordinary circum- 

 stances — where they are turned out to rough it — h>w can you come to the conclusion that there 

 is no suffering ? Some time ago I visited Mr. Gracey's farm near Springfield, and some of his 

 cattle had a running sore for six h eeks. He told the men to quit dehorning when they got 

 four done. Two of them looked fairly well — the horns were dried up — but the other two were 

 discharging severely, and I thought they would die. This was in March, a year ago, and they 

 had then been done six weeks. 



Johst C. Lawr, farmer, South Dorchester, Elgin county, sworn, gave evidence as follows : " I 

 have about twenty head and have not practised dehorning. 1 am opposed to it. There are lots 

 of men who would not do it, but they say 1 t others do as they like. I have raised cattle for 

 about forty years and 1 see no necessity for it. I never knew of one animal being killed or seri- 

 ously hurt by the horns. I think, perhaps, there was one sheep killed, but that was all. It is 

 true that some animals will drive the others. I admit that quiet in a herd is a good thing. If 

 I had vicious animals I would get rid of them. I don't want to see the horns taken off. I saw 

 the operation performed the other day at Mr. York s. The anim Is did not seem to suffer much. 

 These men are looking to make an extra dollar or two. Most of those who have dehorned their 

 cattle here are friends and neighbors of mine. They are progressive men, and I have always 

 looked upon them as men of kindly hearts until they started this practice. We have always 

 been trying to go ahead, but I look upon this dehorning business as a step backward. I have 

 made up my mind against dehorning and nothing that I have seen would make me change round. 

 I believe a quiet disposition can be encouraged in animals if you breed for it. 



WillsON McCredie, farmer, South Dorchester, (Reeve of the township), sworn, said : "I 

 have been engaged in dairying, and milked about thirty-three head last year. I dehorned my 

 cattle in November or December last year. Got L. A. Brown, V.S. , of Aylmer, to do the work. 



