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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2018 15:48:20 GMT
Hoping someone can give me feedback or a tip. As you probably know I have boer goats. Have raised them for years. Sold into 4H in a previous life and did well. All those kids were disbudded, a process which is absolutely terrible.
So, since I have no desire to disbud I do however have a need to take the tips off some horns, to make them less dangerous on a couple of my problem children. I also have 2 going to a pet home with kids and I want to decrease injury risk. Tips on doing so? I read a little about using a dremel tool,which I have. I’ve also read about using bands with mixed results.
I’m looking for a pain free and fairly easy process that I, at 110#, can do myself.
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Post by Ozarks Tom on Apr 29, 2018 16:45:21 GMT
I'd bet Pony will have some advice. Patrice Lewis, "Rural Revolution" blogger has talked about debudding cattle, they use a paste, the wrap the head in duct tape for a day so keep the paste from getting on the cows udder. They take the tape off after a day or so. I believe it has to be done shortly after the calf is born, a few days maybe. www.rural-revolution.com/2018/02/dehorning-hickory.html |
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Post by woolybear on Apr 29, 2018 16:59:19 GMT
I have a doe that I'm going to need to cut about an inch off the tip of her horn. She has rubbed a strip of hair off her neck from the horn brushing against it. I think there some type of wire saw that can be used for this.
Once I have the info in what to do I'll get back to you.
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Post by woolybear on Apr 29, 2018 17:55:35 GMT
The suggestion is pruning shears like you would use to trim the goats hoof. Do a little at a time 1/4 to 1/2 inch at a time. Have blood stop on hand in case you nick a blood vessel. Also there was a suggestion of using a hoof file.
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Post by Ozarks Tom on Apr 29, 2018 20:27:08 GMT
Vets have a "saw wire" that they imbed in casts, when it's time to take the cast off they just pull the wire back and forth.
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Post by Deleted on Apr 29, 2018 23:43:59 GMT
I took the dremel out and took about 1/2” off 2 goats and flattened out some horn starts on a couple babies before the battery died. It wasn’t fully charged to be honest. Think I’m going to see how far back I can go with it.
I read about using the hoof shears but I’m questionable if they will actually work. Those horns are hard! Sometimes I struggle with cutting thru hard hooves.
I’ll have to look into a wire saw.
Thanks Tom and Wooly!
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Post by Deleted on Apr 30, 2018 14:01:33 GMT
If you're just taking a bit off the ends, you and your dremel should be fine. Resist the urge to cut too much at once, as (I'm sure you know) the horns are a direct path to the sinuses.
I know of two people with dairy goats who have used the elastrator bands to cut off the blood supply to the horns. You start a little south of the tips, and put a few bands on within a two inch span. It takes some time, but is supposed to be less traumatic on the animal.
Push comes to shove, you can always tape a piece of PVC pipe across the horns. Add some glitter or stickers for pizzazz, and there ya go!
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Post by Deleted on May 1, 2018 0:56:28 GMT
Thanks. I’m not looking to take a lot off just to blunt them. I’m gonna do just a little at a time. I did a couple of the 7wk old kids’ horns yesterday and flattened them out pretty well.
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Post by paisley on May 1, 2018 16:30:42 GMT
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