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tunity of seeing the bull that had been dehorned, and also of inspecting his celebrated thorough- 

 bred stock. In conversation Mr. Edward's herdsman expressed himself as in favor of the opera- 

 tion for feeding steers. The pain, he believed, was not excessive, while the benefits to the cattle 

 in being allowed to feed loose were very great. 



The Commission decided to hold its next meeting at Ingersoll on Thursday, July 21st, 1892. 



Ingersoll, Thursday, July 21. 



The Commission met in the Town Hall, Ingersoll, on Thursday, July 21st, for the purpose 

 of receiving evidence from the parties oppos d to the practice of dehorning. Mr. Charles 

 Hutchinson was present, and by permission of the Chairman, questioned the witnesses : 



William Stirton, Dereham township, Oxford county, sworn, said : I am a farmer and 

 keep from ten to thirty head of cattle chiefly for fattening. I have been handling cattle on my 

 own account for about eight years. This question of dehorning has been discussed a good deal 

 in our neighborhood, and in my opinion there is no particular necessity for it. I have never had 

 any trouble with my cattle to amount to anything. Sometimes a few scratches are made by 

 horns. I have handled a few dehorned cattle and I don't see any great advantage over the 

 horned ones. The horns are handy to tell the age by, and without the horns an old cow maybe 

 put off for a young one. I am guided by the horns in buying. My belief is that the operation 

 is accompanied by great pain. I have not seen the operation, but I have seen the animals after- 

 wards when the sore was healing up. I saw some last winter two weeks after the operation. 

 They were discharging from the head and the matter was running down the cheek. Then there 

 was one that appeared to be stiff and to be hanging behind the rest. There were about ten 

 altogether, and five or six of them seemed to be pretty bad. I think there is a good deal of 

 suffering while the head is healing up. 1 can't see any great advantage in dehorning, as we have 

 never had any serious accidents from the horns. I am opposed to the practice. 



Mr. Hutchinson. — From your knowledge of cattle generally is there any absolute neces- 

 sity for cutting off the horns, apart from a pecuniary benefit ? A. I would not think so. 



Q. Have you seen anything that could not be avoided by knobbing ? A. No ; I have not 

 seen many that needed knobbing. 



Q. Could those that are a little dangerous be rendered harmless by knobbing ? A. Yes, I 

 think so. 



Q. Suppose this practice were legalised do you think there would be danger to the animals 

 from inexperienced people doing the work ? A. Well, I would not like to say — one might do it 

 as well as another for all I know. If I were going to do it I would have it done in the best way 

 I knew how. There are lots of men would just take the horns off and not look after the animals 

 properly. 



Q. Would this not expose the cattle to a great deal of cruelty ? A. Yes, I should think it 

 would. If this has got to be done it ought to be by men who understand it and have the right 

 tools for the job. 



Mr. Drury. — What is the practice in regard to castration ? A. Well, there are generally 

 some men in each neighborhood who make a specialty of it. 



Q. What is the general character of the men who have had their cattle dehorned ? A. They 

 are a pretty good clas-< of men. 



Mr. Hutchinson. — Isn't it a question of dollars and cents — whether it is profitable or 

 unprofitable to cut off the horns ? (No answer). 



Q. What is the object of your neighbors in favoring this practice ? A. I think they do it 

 to yard closer and to save pain. The cattle must have been hooked, or they wanted to keep them 

 closer, or something of that kind. 



Mr. Glendinning. — Do you know of any man who had the horns taken off and who after- 

 wards regretted it ? A. Well, I have known some who had the horns taken off a few and left 

 them on the remainder. 



John Mitchell, Dereham township, sworn, said : I am a farmer and keep about thirty 

 head of cattle. I never saw the operation of dehorning, and I have no intention of cutting the 

 horns off my cattle. I never lost any animal from hooking except a little pig that was ripped. 

 Whenever I found cows a little vicious I cut off the tips of their horns. I do not see the neces- 

 sity for the dehorning business. 



Mr. Drury. — Do you think that man is justified in inflicting pain for a pecuniary advantage ? 

 A. No. 



