Disbudding dairy heifers...question.

ozark_jewels · #1 05/08/07, 03:32 PM

I have the Rineheart X50 disbudding iron and I disbudd a couple hundred goat kids every spring....but I have never disbudded a calf. With goat kids, you must disbudd them before two weeks and usually by three days to insure no scurs....I know you can wait longer for that with calves...but thats about all I know.
Anyone care to run through the disbudding a calf scenario with me??
With kids it goes like this:
Burn a ring, pop off the bud. Burn the bud flat with the side of the iron, then burn a ring again. Then I spray with Furall.
How different is it with calves?? I know cattle aren't near as prone to scurs as goats.
We have always left the horns on our Jerseys, preferring them that way. But we just bought 5 dairy heifers on the bottle and we have 15 steers. I need to disbudd them all.

yarrow · #2 05/08/07, 09:35 PM

Emily, I've had Ervin dis-bud the dairy heifers for me. He did it exactly the same way you do the goats. We waited til the buds were just bumped up, easy to feel (BUT not thru the skin) Last heifer was about 3 weeks old. He burned once, burned the bud and reburned the ring. Heads come out perfect. Not a speck of scur.
susie

DaleK · #3 05/09/07, 07:49 AM

You have the insert for goats and calves right? I do it pretty much the same, just give them a shot of Lidocaine on each side and wait about 10 minutes for it to set in then burn a ring until it's nice and bright, generally about 15 seconds for calves, pop it off and burn another ring. Then an aspirin when I'm done and they're off.
Don't wait any longer than until you can just feel where the bud is coming on.

ozark_jewels · #4 05/09/07, 08:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DaleK

You have the insert for goats and calves right?

Yes, I have both. Thanks to you and Susie answering, I'm sure I can handle it......heck after doing two week old Saanen bucklings...I'm sure I can handle anything.

Tad · #5 05/09/07, 10:06 PM

We burn ours at 4 to 8 weeks usually, just anytime before they are to big for the dehorner. The trick is to burn I allways roll the iron around the bud until there is a copper colored ring. It will first turn red then copper, the bud can usually be flicked off at that time. For burning we don't use drugs those shots in the head are as painful as 10 secs of burning. My college teacher told me the person who takes care of the calves shouldn't dehorn, the calves will be afraid of the. I said that was a load they will suck on your fingers 90 secs afterward!

ozark_jewels · #6 05/10/07, 09:36 PM

Yeah, we never anesthize their heads for disbudding kids either. They've never held it against me.

Up North · #7 05/11/07, 12:03 AM

Hey!...That Lidocaine is good stuff. Used it on myself once.
Guess that falls under the "Don't try this at home, folks" category

JulieLou42 · #8 05/11/07, 04:10 AM

That Lidocaine HURTS!!!!! I had four stitches in my left index fingertip Apr. 30, and screamed in pain for the four shots to numb the finger for the stitches. My blood pressure went to a very dangerous level, needless to say. Had to give up my milking till it heals.

Up North · #9 05/11/07, 08:09 AM

JL hope you heal up quickly. I thought needle hurt the most. Didn't feel the stitches atall at least. Hope you are able to resume milking soon.

DaleK · #10 05/11/07, 10:23 AM

Yeah I didn't think the Lidocaine would help much either until I tried half the calves with it one time and half without, the half I used it on were well ahead of the others 2 weeks later. All the studies they've done are pretty conclusive, the extra gain on calves with freezing vs. those without by weaning is worth 4-5 times the cost of the freezing.