Dehorning

springvalley · #21 12/18/10, 03:05 PM

I am so sorry I used that very strong word "Never" I promise to Never use it again, Never ever. > Marc

dosthouhavemilk · #22 12/18/10, 03:26 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by springvalley

I am so sorry I used that very strong word "Never" I promise to Never use it again, Never ever. > Marc

Thanks!
I just didn't want people to think that it always ends up poorly.

springvalley · #23 12/18/10, 03:36 PM

Well as you have had good luck dehorning cows I have had friends that didn`t. Sorry for the never, but I hate to dehorn mature animals, it is hard on them. > Thanks Bunches and heaps, Marc

dosthouhavemilk · #24 12/18/10, 03:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by springvalley

Well as you have had good luck dehorning cows I have had friends that didn`t. Sorry for the never, but I hate to dehorn mature animals, it is hard on them. > Thanks Bunches and heaps, Marc

I agree it is hard on them. There are circumstances that some feel warrant it though. It certainly is not something we considered lightly. We had not planned on dehorning them until Snowdrift did what she did.
The sad thing is our cows ended up going to a farm with mixed horned and not, so they are getting tore up yet again.
It is even harder on goats. It's why Twyla was allowed to keep her horns....so far.
We did remove Midge's and I would do it again if needed. She is alive because of it.
Ashley's background is a dairy goat view. No horns.
If one doesn't know how to work around horns it can make it all the more dangerous and difficult.
Mdige is a bit head shy of us right. That did not go well at all with her. She is extremely head shy still. Hopefully over time it will get better. It has been a year since we banded her horns. The cows forgave much more quickly. At least our cows. The school's cows did not. It really makes a difference if the person knows what they are doing or not.

arcticow · #25 12/18/10, 04:21 PM

Sorry for the confusion on my part. As far as dairy goats, I agree completely, NO horns. Milk'em a year if they have 'em, then start a MEAT goat herd with 'em. Or at least do the meat part.

lonelyfarmgirl · #26 12/18/10, 05:42 PM

I do disbud my goats, but we do not dehorn our cows. the horns are part of our trademark, and the thing that sets us apart from the other beef herds around here.
we dont have an issue with them hurting us, although there are flank scratches amongst the herd, especially on the boys. occasionally someone gets stuck in the feeder, but for the most part little problem. If we end up with an aggressive animal, we ship him, or her, because horns or no, aggression is aggression.

Madsaw · #27 12/18/10, 06:25 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by springvalley

While I agree with you on some of this Bob, I don`t agree with all of it. I personaly don`t thick jersey`s are that high strung, at least mine aren`t. And if the cattle are dehorned on the right sign of the moon they won`t bleed near as much. I have had no more problem dehorning jersey`s as I have holsteins. I personaly would not dehorn an older cow, I have heard all kinds of bad stories about dehorning cows, they never bounce back after that and they never trust you again. My ywo cents, maybe a nickle, . >Thanks marc

Marc,
LOL, my mistake there. Really not meaning high strung attitude. But, For lack of better wording their metabolism makes them bleed easier. But yet on teh same token they will be a higher bracket for milk fever. Its hard to explain what I was told by that old vet. I tend to stay away from cutting horns anymore. Try to burn them all young.
The worst thing to ever try no matter what breed of cow is to cut a scrub horn off. They are a nightmare and be prepared for bleeding.
Bob

southerngurl · #28 12/18/10, 07:37 PM

I can't say she's aggressive with them, nor am I expecting to immediately lop her horns off. But long term, I don't like them. I have dairy goats and they are all disbudded. I just don't like having sharp points around me. I may just get them tipped thought, I think that would be enough to make me feel better.

southerngurl · #29 12/18/10, 07:38 PM

Is there something I can tip them with myself?

lonelyfarmgirl · #30 12/18/10, 08:29 PM

marshmallows?, tennis balls? , yeah, tennis balls and a big gooey wad of gorilla glue

oregon woodsmok · #31 12/21/10, 06:06 PM

I'd give her a couple of weeks to settle in. She's a gentle cow, so as she gets settled, she may stop using them.

It could go either way. As she gets more confident she might use them less, or she might get more confident and decide she is going to be the boss and use them more.

I like the look of those round brass horn caps they use in Switzerland. She could still smack you, but not gore you (at least not so easily) and she'd look all artistic.