DEMOTING CATTLE.

Lyttelton Times, Volume CVI, Issue 12572, 6 August 1901, Page 7

DEMOTING CATTLE.

Some discussion,.having taken place recently cm the subject'ct-'dehorning cattle, tlie committee of the 1 Society for the Prevention of 1 Cruelty to Animals invited several gentlemen to meet the members yesterday to discuss the question. There were present—Messrs H. Overton, J. Hay, J. Deans, W. Righton, and D. Bait (Government Veterinary Surgeon), and the following members of the committee; —Messrs J. 0. P-rudhoo (chairman), M. Murphy, F. H. Parker, W. Prudhce, and Major Bkhards. Mr Murphy, the secretary; explained tie business of the meeting. The Wellington Society had been written to, but had not replied. It had evidently written to the Stock Department on the as from a Wellington paper it appeared that that Department had replied that it was unable to see it? way to assist the Society in the matter, as dehorning was. necessary, especially in dairy, herds, and the animals very soon recovered from the operation. The Chairman said tbs Society was very anxious to have more light thrown on tne subject, and was prepared to_ do anythmg in its power to assist stock-raisers in doing what 'was right an the matter. I hey did not want to set up sentimental ideas against utilitarian. Mr James Hay, who stated that he had been am'ongsfc cattle nil his life, said that he was first constrained to go in for dehorning by seeing, when ho was at Heme in 1882, a number of cattle dehorned both in Scotland and in Chicago, and he was much impressed by tho quiet manner m which the cattle behaved, and at the splendid condition in which the cattle killed out. Upon his return to the colony he and his brothers started dehorning by a primitive method, but. this did not answer, Finding that a large proportion of the cattle which they oent to the factory for freezing were condemned on account of bruises by horning, they again went in for the process, and had already dehorned between 7000 and 8000 head, out of which they , had only three deaths. They had carried out the operation at all ages from eighteen months to lour years old. Another thing which led them to try the experiment was the large percentage which they had had to kill .through cancer, and they had now satisfactorily .proved that dehorning was a protection from cancer. Another thing which led them to keep on dehorning was the fact that they had seven men very badly gored, one of whom was killed, and they had lost many good, horses and many beasts through goring. His experience proved that dairy cattle should certainly ba dehorned. The most -suitable ace for dehorning was eighteen months to two years old.. At these ages there was absolutely rio risk, and tho beasts were well in a few days. The saw should not be used, as it was a slow process, and the work could be done with the clippers in eight seconds, while sawing took over a minute'. They had not originally started dehorning with any idea of Making more profit, on the cattle, as the beasts • looked• smaller with the horns off; hut experience had proved that the butchers. now gave more for dehorned cattle. He gave details of the injury he had. seen inflicted on beasts by other cattle with horns, and this was more especially the case in small yards and railway trucks. Many who wrote against dehorning a-s cruel little thought of what they were doing. They did not apparently consider it cruel to play a trout on the end of a line, to catch rabbits in traps, -or to hunt hares and foxes' until they .w,ere tom to pieces by- jhe hounds. People "did'this kind of thing for sport, but stock-owners carried out dehorning from merciful motives. Those who.visited Addington Yards could see plenty of cruelty inflicted by beasts with horns, and they would- then see . the necessity for dehorning. He had' seen, an .experiment -of killing the hems by caustic on calves’ heads, and the animals appeared to be in terrible agony for hours after it. While speaking on the question ef cattle, he would suggest that all trucks for fafc bGcisfcs should bs .padded, as the beasts : which- now ■ came-, in by rail were badlv bruised about the'hips -and tail. A "letter was read from. Mr W. B. Clarkson, stating ,that there was a wonderful improvement in the -'Pigeon Bay' cattle since dehorning had been commenced. Mr John Deans endorsed all that Air Hay had -said as- to the necessity of dehorning, and that, if done with the clippers, Hhe process was a merciful one in, the long \run. Dehorned cattle 'always grazed together quietly. An experiment had been made in America which proved that the flow -of milk from dairy cows was not detrimentally affected by the process. He considered that -fire-branding was a much more cruel process, and this was compelled by law. - - ' lii reply to a question; Mr Hay said the clippers could be purchased in Christ'church.. ' : ■■ Mr H.. Overton r said .he had seen the work done on several large stations, and if {ho work- was dene between the ages of. eighteen months and two years, the ,cattle suffered very little.' Anything was better than to leave'the horns oh, as many beasts were badly gored, and human, life was often endangered. In cases of old cows Which had. become vicious, he had seen the hdrns taken off with a saw;, and afterwards the c-ows were extremely quiet and their nature'appeared to be changed. Air Halt, while condemning _ the use of the saw in favour of the clippers, said that dehorning was necessary* to prevent damage.- injury, and cruelty to other animals,°as could" be seen, at any of -the public abattoirs. .. . In reply to Air Rail, Air Hay said that taking the horns off before an animal had reached eighteen months fcf age- had been found to be useless, as the horns grew again. His experience Was that it was not Very painiul for an old cow, to be dehorned. ■ A letter" was read from Air Peryman, who gave particulars of killing the -horns of carves by using caustic soda when they were about six weeks old, which he had found very effective. Air Over-ton said he had seen the saineoperation carried out with success at the Agricultural College at Sydney. Air W. Righton spoke -strongly on- the necessity far dehorning. • --His experience as eat-tle-cl’asser at .the Addington Yards gave him the opportunity of seeing many cattle suffering greatly from being gored-, and many carcases were absolutely ■ ruined for butchers’, purposes. v Ho thought dehorning aged cattle was probably cruel, but in many cascn it was necessary. Air Parker said that the Society was quite agreed that dehorned, cattle were the best, but the question had been raised as .to what .Was the most merciful means of taking the horns off. They would like to see the process adapted by Air Peryman brought iiitc general use. Ho read an extract-from an Australian paper, in which a Government veterinary surgeon had been charged with cruelty in having de.horned, a Government stud'-bull which had become vicious, and -in which the case had been ultimately dismissed. Air Hay said if. the method of destroying the horns of c'alves Was a success, in throi; or four years -there/should -be no need for dehorning. Tho Chairman, raid as far as he could see, the Society should endeavour to have practical tests' mads of destroying the germs -of the horns in the calf. Hr thanked those who had assisted the Society to come to a, decision. Air Rait ■said so far as he could gather, ■destroying tho germ was the ideal methm of dehorning,' and should k-a -persevered with.