DEHORNING CATTLE.

Press, Volume LVIII, Issue 11012, 9 July 1901, Page 6

DEHORNING CATTLE.

THE EDITOK Or THE TKKSS. Sir,—Although Mr Miles is at present the inspector of tlta local branch of the S.P.C.A. S«;iety, his recent letter on the subject of dehorning cattle shows tb.9 most lamentable ignorance and inexpErienoe of the work of that society elsewhere. I have neither time or patience to deal in detail with the rank absurdities of which his letter are full, but will ask you to reprint extracts from a recent case, tried in Australia, as far as they refer to the practice of dehorning cattle, which will answer my purpose. The prosscution was instituted by the S.P.C.A. Society. "' •

Morton Craig, Insptctor of Stock, deposed dishorning was undoubtedly a very cruel practice. He knew it was condemned in England. Henry H. Edwards, veterinary surgeon, said ha had seen cattle dishorned. He had not done it himself. He had been asked, but had refused to do such work. Hβ thought that dishorning on animal caused fxcruciating pi in, and involved cruelty. Hs could not think of anything to justify dishorning. Robert Weir gave evidence that he was Government Veterinary Kurgeorj. He agreed that the practice of dishorning was to be condemned. Mr Roe, 5.M.,. gave his reserved decision. He was glad that counsel had so persisted in their endeavours to induoa him to look up certain cases. Ho had gone through the case cited* The case showed distfnetly that in England dishorning—or dehorning"(for both words s:em6d to be used) appeared to be prevented by Law as a general practice. He was not, however, bound by the evidence of the experts, but had to learn more on what had baen said by the Judges. Mr Justice Wighten had defined cruelty veryclearly and strongly. That learned Judge held that cruelty meant unnecessary abuse of the animals. He (Mr Roe. S.M.) had* been pleased to note that counsel for the defence had not pretended to uphold the practice of dishorning! - • * . Dehorning cattle is carried on in this colony, and is a. gross violation of the law, and is practised from purely mercenary motive's. ,• With reference to 11>8 injuries inflicted by horned cattle, of which the advocates of dehorhingimnke such exaggerated-fu*s, they are , '"invariably mere scratches"..of the skin. Professor Wholler, the eminent veterinary surgeon in England, has stated, "that lipping is an infallible remedy for butting.'" | Mr Miles's statements with reference to i the Wellington Society are inaccurate.— Yours, etc., , H. JUTSUM, Member S.P.C.A..