117 



heat and cold should be avoided. I should say from the end of March to May, and from the 

 end of September to November. In the case of the bull we dehorned, it completely tamed him 

 and he has shown no signs of viciousness so far since. 



Mr. Drury — When you performed this operation were you aware that you were liable to be 

 prosecuted for cruelty ? A. i recognised that the Humane Society had the right to prosecute, 

 but I did not think they would be successful. I performed the operation for the benefit of the 

 farmers who were making enquiries for information. I intend to dehorn some cows for the same 

 purpose and will also try the effects of caustic. 



Mr. Gibson — Have you ever heard of anyone who has tried this operation and been dis- 

 satisfied with it ? A . No ; neither on account of its bad effect on the animals nor bad influence 

 upon himself, attendants or family. Then I am satisfied that they pay 25 to 30 cents more per 

 hundred weight for dehorned cattle at Chicago owing to their freedom from hook marks and 

 bruises. This fact alone indicates that there must be a great deal of pain inflicted upon the 

 animals by the horns. 



Dr. Smith — Should the Government decide to allow this operation, do you think there 

 would be a danger of it being practised without discrimination. Say, a man cutting the horns 

 off perfectly docile cows under the supposition that they would give more milk afterwards ? A. 

 I don't think so. No one has been deterred from the operation so far on account of fear of 

 prosecution ; and I do not think that a favorable finding by the Commission would encourage a 

 reckless extension of the practice, or its adoption by farmers without due cause. 



Mr. Macpherson — Would you say there would be a gain of $1 per cow from dehorning ? 

 A. I think the benefit per cow would be much more than that in the year. The additional 

 profit in feeding steers for market is considerable owing to economy of labor. The increased 

 gain might range from f 8 up, owing to extra quiet, saving in labor, feeding in sheds and so on. 

 1 recommend strongly the dehorning of every bull that shows the least tendency to viciousness. 

 They are not injured at all for breeding purposes, and the increased safety of the attendants is 

 worth more than any possible pain or harm to the animal. As a general thing self-interest 

 will prevent a man from inflicting unnecessary pain, and I consider that the Commission would 

 be safe in recommending that the practice be allowed to be carried on under certain restric- 

 tions. 



Robert W. Elliott, sworn, said : I am herdsman in the Dominion Experimental Farm, 

 and performed the operation of dehorning on a number of steers. We used the clippers on two 

 herds and the saw on all the others. The quickest time we made was nine seconds for two horns. 

 We dehorned nine this spring and five last fall — one Jersey bull five years old, four three-year 

 olds, four two-year olds and five yearlings. The date we dehorned last was May 13. Judging 

 from these fourteen I would say the suffering is least in yearlings and over five years old. 



Mr. Drury. — Do you think the cattle were improved in their conduct by dehorning ? A. 

 Yes, decidedly. From what I have seen I would be in favor of the practice. The bull we de- 

 horned was dangerous to take out, and after the horns were off he would tremble when anyone 

 went into the stall, leeling he was so helpless. 



Q. Did you observe the appearance and conduct of the cattle for a few days after the opera- 

 tion % A. Yes ; the worst ones didn't regain their appetite for about a week — three out of the 

 fourteen. One bled considerable and lost a little in flesh. We had to stop the bleeding with a 

 hot iron. Some of them had a discharge of matter for about two weeks. 



Q. Now, having performed this operation and watched these cases, do you still say that you 

 favor the practice and consider that if you were an owner of cattle your interests would be 

 advanced by adopting it? A. Yes, I should think so. 



Afternoon Meeting. 



The Commission met at 2.30 the same afternoon in one of the parlors of the Russell House, 

 for the purpose of receiving the evidence of W. C. Edwards, M.P. , and Senator Read of 

 Belleville. 



William Cameron Edwards, Rockland, Ontario, sworn, said : I am a member of the 

 House of Commons for the County of Russell. My business is that of a lumberman, but f am 

 also largely interested in farming. We raise a good many cattle and have about 350 head now. 

 Last autumn we dehorned 34 feeding steers, and we just shipped them a few days ago to the 

 English market. 



