Dehorning

MollyK · #1 04/21/10, 11:46 AM

Seems like I have something new every week! (:

I looked through the old threads and didn't see anything I liked, so I'm asking my own questions!

Opie's (7 weeks) little horns are trying their hardest to come through his head and my dad said I should go ahead and start seeing about it. They haven't busted through the skin yet (and I have no clue when they would..), but my dad has some paste. I don't know what it's called.. Sorry! But I can find out. I guess I could read the directions on paste.. We haven't had cows for a couple of years, so I don't even know if it will be any good.

but, when do y'all dehorn your calves? how do you do it? If you use paste, at what age do you put it on (and do you use tape to cover it? I read that somewhere)?

Thanks!!!

dosthouhavemilk · #2 04/21/10, 12:21 PM

http://familycow.proboards.com/index...y&thread=20918
This is a post I put together for another board.

From what I understand, you are bit late for the paste to work. It needs to be done within the first week or so.

springvalley · #3 04/21/10, 03:33 PM

I cut mine off, spring or fall, before or after fly season. It gets a bit bloody but you know there off. Thanks Marc

ozark_jewels · #4 04/21/10, 03:37 PM

Do you have anyone near you who disbuds calves or goats?? If so, they can still disbudd him. Its the safest and most effective way if you have anyone near you with a disbudding iron.

topside1 · #5 04/21/10, 04:07 PM

I burn like Emily mentioned, never ever had a problem. Ten true seconds of burn time (each side) and it's over. I'd be burning soon, generally I burn the buds around 3-4 weeks old....but that's me. Also Molly what's the model and brand of camera you have been using?...Topside

Cheryl aka JM · #6 04/21/10, 05:19 PM

Next time I want to dehorn I'm going to drive the critter to Topside and ask him to do it! I had mine done at the vet~ it was gruesome. The girls did heal just fine, and it was not expensive. Only $10 each. The girls did eventually forgiven me.....but each girl is regrowing a "Scur"~ one has it on the right the other on the left.

randiliana · #7 04/21/10, 06:35 PM

As long as the horn hasn't broken the skin you can still paste. In fact we will paste them even when they are just through the skin. It should still work.

MollyK · #8 04/21/10, 06:58 PM

Topside, I have a Nikon D5000 Here's a link where I got it. But- i got the price of Sams Club because they compare prices from other stores. it was about 75.00 cheaper. Thanks for the info on the dehorning. I always like your advice. And because you asked about my camera... i just have to put up pictures from today (:
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Nikon+-+...5184&cp=1&lp=1

Randiliana, thanks! I'm going to try it!

Dehorning - Cattle

ozark_jewels · #9 04/21/10, 07:27 PM

Be very careful with the paste. I have seen calves with scarred faces and holes eaten out of their ears due to careless use of paste.

topside1 · #10 04/21/10, 08:38 PM

Cheryl, head North anytime and I'll do them for free. 3-4 weeks old is best......Just bring a apple pie or two to keep me happy....Topside

MollyK · #11 04/21/10, 10:59 PM

I'll meet Cheryl and we'll come up there. haha! My sis lives in North East Alabama (:
We'll make you lots of goodies Topside. My mom is a caterer... just tell me what you want (;
She has 3 cakes on the counter right now! but i don't think you want a wedding cake!

Gregg Alexander · #12 04/22/10, 05:15 AM

Scoop them out and use a hot iron for about 10 sec, nothing to it.

topside1 · #13 04/22/10, 07:26 AM

Molly, I'm happy to see that your not spoiling that calf...Were did you get the outfit TSC.
Personally I'd avoid the paste. Find a young FFA type to do the job for some gas money...Topside

MollyK · #14 04/22/10, 07:48 AM

I'll have to check around on it. I'm going to the state FFA convention tonight actually.. maybe I'll run into our local highschools AG teacher.

Oh the outfit! Well, I'm really disappointed he would stand in my boots for 2 seconds longer! haha.

Cheryl aka JM · #15 04/22/10, 08:29 AM

That first pic is just entirely too cute! But boots? LOL!
Topside I'll most certainly bring pie! But I don't have anything to dehorn just now. Been tempted by a bottle calf again this year~ but I have some stuff coming up this summer that may keep me from being able to work for a couple weeks....so I'm trying to resist so I don't leave too many things that need to be done by the family. (my son milked a goat yesterday~ takes me 15 min to milk her.....after half an hour I went ahead and milked the rest~ more than 3/4 of her udder out! They are going to be challenged enough doing my job!)

randiliana · #16 04/22/10, 09:12 AM

Well, I don't really understand why you are all so against using paste.... I prefer it to the other ways. Actually, I'd prefer not to dehorn at all, but I hate dealing with horned cattle. No matter how you do it, it is going to cause them pain, even if you use a pain killer/blocker at the time of dehorning it will hurt once that wears off.

Paste is pretty simple and a lot cheaper than buying a dehorning iron for only a couple animals, and a lot less messy than using the scoops.

To do a good job of pasting, trim the hair back around the horn bud. Then apply a thin layer over an area about the size of a quarter on a larger calf, a nickle on a baby calf. Don't put too much on or you can run the risk of them bleeding, but in all the years we've been pasting I have only ever had problems with one calf....

dosthouhavemilk · #17 04/22/10, 10:24 AM

Having had lye on my hand (and in my eye...ouch), and had a disbudding iron on my hand, I would take the iron over the lye anyday of the week. The paste is bascially lye. It's very caustic.
From what I had seen on other groups, the age of the calf in question was a bit late for the paste to be effective. I guess for me, if I burn the calf, I see that horn bud coming off. I know it is done.
We don't do the scoops. If you just burn them in the first month it is very quick and efficient. Just removing the horns in the first month (by iron or paste) is the simplest and least stressful on the calf.
For us, the iron makes sense. I've disbudded close to 70 head of goat kids already this year. Haven't done the heifer calves yet. They'll need to be done soon. Both bull calves are natually polled.
For that matter, out vet's office only charges $3 a head to disbud calves (plus the cost of the visit). So you can check with your locla vet for costs.

copperhead46 · #18 04/24/10, 10:52 PM

I love the paste, you just have to be aware of what you are using. I put duct tape on the paste and keep the calf away from momma for 6 hours, and really love the results.
P.J.