From Paul Attard
With reference to your article on hornless cows (Technology, 16 December), I would like to make two comments. First, the word used for removing calves’ horns should be disbudding, not dehorning. The latter suggest cutting away a long horn. Moreover, the word “painful” as used by your reporter is rather misleading. The only real pain involved in burning out the bud, which is the method commonly adopted, is in the injection of local anaesthetic. This causes as much pain as for humans given a local by their dentist.
Secondly, Joyce D’Silva’s remark that “there would be no need to dehorn animals if they were not herded together so closely” is as fatuous and nonsensical as you can get. Animals by nature are herd creatures. Not to herd them so closely would involve keeping them individually penned all their lives. She does not need me to tell her that that would contravene the Welfare Code.
