101 



Q. Would you expect a lessened flow of milk after the operation ? A. Not much for a day 

 or two. 



Q. Suppose the operation were performed at noon, would there be a less flow of milk that 

 evening % A. In the case of accidents I have not noticed much difference until the inflammatory 

 process set in. 



Q. Would you expect a falling off in the milk at night if there had been suffering for several 

 hours before \ A. Yes. I would think there would be some falling off. 



Q. You would not look for much inflammation for say twenty-four hours after the operation, 

 but suppose there was no falling off in the milk yield after that time ? A. I think there m ght 

 be pain without a lessening in the flow of milk, but if there was a rise in the temperature I 

 think there would be a falling off. 



Q. Suppose in your capacity as health officer, you found that an animal was discharging 

 pus, would you find fault with the milk ? A. Yes. Some of the pus would get into the stomach 

 through being licked off the nose and I would decidedly stop the supply of milk while that was 

 going on. 



Q. Have you ever had anything to do with cattle ? A. Yes. I was brought up on a farm. 



Q. You have not teen any animals dehorned ? A. No. 



Q. Have you seen much inconvenience from horns ? A. Horns are an inconvenience of 

 course, but taking it altogether I think that the inconvenience does not counterbalance the 

 cruelty of taking the horns off. 



Q. Would you agree that if the good is in proportion to the pain inflicted, the practice 

 would be justifiable ? A. Well, if it saved life I think it might be justifiable, but not for finan- 

 cial advantage. I have been practising for twenty years and have not been called upon to attend 

 any suffering from hooking 



Mr. Gibson : Do we understand you to say that the cavity would be larger at the base than 

 higher up ? A. Yes, then there is the danger that in cutting close to the head pus may get 

 into the arteries and in that way into the system. 



Q. If there is much bleeding would you regard that as a sign of pain ? A. Not always ; a 

 man might have his nose bleed and yet not suffer. I think there are facilities for fraud when 

 the horns are taken off. Even a butcher might be deceived. 



Q. But what about the teeth ? A. Without the horns I think it would be difficult if not 

 impossible to tell the age within two or three years. 



Mr. Drury : You say then that this matter should be decided upon the gain to the public ? 

 A. Yes. I think that a money consideration should not be brought into the case. 



Q. What about castration and cutting off the tails % A There is no comparison between 

 cutting off sheep's tails and cutting off horns. Then I think there is room for great improve- 

 ment in the method of castrating. Animals ought to be rendered insensible before the operation. 

 About 25c. worth of chloroform used on a horse would deaden all pain. 



Lorenzo Stevens, farmer and bailiff, London township, sworn, gave evidence as follows : 

 1 have had to do with cattle nearly all my life, and I have sixteen head at present. I have not 

 dehorned any cattle and I am not in favor of the practice. I have used brass knobs and found 

 them to work all right. If I found an animal still continued vicious I might be in favor of 

 taking the horns off. I like the look of the horns and I would not like to see them all taken off. 

 I think it must be a very painful operation. 



James Day, farmer, township of North Oxford, sworn, said : I have about 30 years' 

 experience with cattle, and have 22 head at present. I have not dehorned my cattle and 

 don't intend to. 



Q. You gave evidence in the recent prosecution 1 A. Yes. 



Q. Has anything occurred to make you change your opinion since then ? A. Only to make me 

 a little more sure that dehorning is wrong. There has been a great deal of talk about dehorned 

 cattle going up to the drinking trough so quietly. Now I have seen four or five horned cattle 

 drink together out of a cauldron kettle. I have seen a little trouble through one or two keeping 

 the others away, but I believe that if animals are used kindly there won't be so much trouble. 

 I don't go as far as some who say that dehorning is a terrible piece of cruelty. It is done quick, 

 of course. I dehorned one cow myself since the trial to see the effect of it. Here's my idea of 

 this thing, it leaves room for defrauding the public as to the age. I honestly can't see any 

 necessity for it. Even with the vicious ones we don't need to go so far. Cutting the tips is a 

 sure thing. I have been a horse doctor for about 21 years, though 1 have not graduated from 

 any college. I have been looking at some of these dehorned cattle and I saw no bad results 

 any more than this, they seemed to be too docile, always moping and seem to have no life ; I 

 would call them idiots. In my experience I have only been called upon to attend one case 

 where a horse was injured from goring and in that case it was the stableman that should have 

 been dehorned for he had been chasing the cow with a pitchfork. 1 put a ring and chain on a 



