Phillipsburg herald. [volume] (Phillipsburg, Kan.) 1882-1905, 1884-05-15
Making MuIevs


lsh LiUe-Stock Journal of April 4th:
| A somewhat remarkable case of dis
hornlng cattle, was recently tried at the
! petty sessions held at Drumconra, county
Meath. The Society for the Prevention
OF Cruelty to Animals prosecuted Thomas
McArdle for cruelty ill-treating 81 bull
locks by causing their horns to be cut off
| close to their skulls. 1t appeared that
on the 25th ult., constables Gately and
Lamont, of the Royal Irish Constabulary,
! found IA head of cattle dishorned on
the defendants premises. Their heads
were bleeding, and there were large,
deep holes in their skulls, where the
horns had been cut off close to the bone,
leaving the cavities of the skull at the
base of the horns exposed and the flesh
raw and bleeding. The following day
! Sergeant Hart, on visiting the farm,
found in addition 20 other beasts all re-
Gently dishorned. They were in the
same condition, and appeared to be suf-
fering great pain. James Cahill, the
herder of the defendant, stated that the
"a beasts had been dishorned by the de-
fendants orders and in his presence, and
! that it was done for the purpose of pre-
venting the cattle from tearing each 9TH
er when being fed in the yard, and as a
matter of convenience. Joseph Mckee
yer stated that he had % years expert
ence in dishOrning cattle, and that it in
creased the value of the cattle by about G2
per head, as English and Scotch BUYERS
found dishOrned cattle more convenient
for yard-feeding. He also believed the
bleeding improved the cattle, and they
fed far better after dishorning.
Mr.. Collins, veterinary surgeon, explain
ed from a skull of COW, which he pro-
duced, thatthe act of saving off the horns
close to the skulls, as practiced by far
mers, was most cruel and painful oper-
alton, and, as a scientific fact, was of no
benefit to the animals. That at the base
Of the horns were arteries and nerves
which must be cut through, and the cav
tiles In the skull being exposed caused
inflammation, and intense pain, so much
so that he had known animals unable to
move for some days afterwards It had
much the same effect as cutting off a
mans nails at the quick. The only OBJ
ject gained was the convenience to the
owners of being able to feed the cattle
with greater ease in confined spaces, but
that if the horns were sawn off half way
down and ball of wood riveted on, it
would answer the purpose equally well,
and this method was adopted in parts of
England.
Major Singleton, J. P, stated it was the
general practice of farmers in that dis
trict to dishorn cattle, as they thereby
obtained better prices, and that he had
cattle to the number of 200 dishorned
every year. Mr.. George Mccarthy, r. NJ.
the presiding Magistrate, dismissed the
case on grounds that in his opinion the
practice of dishOrning cattle was not
cruelty within the fair meaning dissection
2 of the 18th and 18th Vic, the Act of
Parliament under which the prosecution
| TETa f. h11f of 70 IF
sci for the complainant, he agreed to
state acase for the opinion Of the superior
court
On the same subject, a correspondent
writes to the Irish Farmers Gazette, say
ing:
beg to say that many years ago case
was tried at Maynalty petty sessions, in
which Mr.. Thomas Farrell, of Carbans-
town, was charged with Cruelty tOrtur-
ing cattle by having their horns taken
off," The case was adjourned for the
opinion of Mr.. Ferguson, who reported
that ''if properly performed, the pain
was very slight, and that the results were
most beneficial as not only were the ami
mails prevented from hOrning and injur-
ing themselves, but also the flesh of the
neck was rendered much finer, and the
sineWy parts less coarse" That dishOrn-
ing cattle is decided advantage to the
farmer there can be no second opinion,
and that Prof. Ferguson's opinion is cor
rect is fully borne out by the fact that
thr Norfolk and Suffolk animals, which
are the top of London market, are in
nineteen cases out of twenty Irish dis
horned cattle purchased from Irish deal
ers in Norwich, Bury St. Edmunds, and
other large markets. I am the last per
son who would advocate in any way the
slightest cruelty to any dumb animal;
but believe that the results in this case
are not only beneficial to the farmer, but
are in their effect merciful to the animal
In my experience I have had thousands
dishorned, often having 500 in season.
and have no hesitation in stating that
my opinion entirely comedies with Ma
Ijor Singleton. Let the operation be per
formed as mercifully as possible and
when the animal is young I consider the
best time.