Question about banding horns

[MoCrafter]

I have 2 Saanen doelings that will be 1 year old at the end of this month. I bought them, just weaned, last year. They have horns, and I am finding out that I do not like horns. I banded the horns of our 2 pygmy does. That worked out great. Their horns are gone.

Now my question is, will it stress the Saanens too much if I band their horns right now. They are due to have babies the first of March. Should I wait till after they kid or get it over with? Any help appreciated.

Thanks,
Winona

[ozark_jewels]

Well......I have never banded my own before but have seen it done and talked to many who have done it. If these were my girls, I would wait until this coming late fall when the weather turns cool again. I know thats not what you wanted to hear, but I have my reasons. First, yes, it will stress them to much this far into their gestation. Any stress is to be avoided if possible with pregnant does. I wouldn't do it in March after they kid because we generally get early summers in Missouri and with that comes heat and flies. The banding takes some time and it can be a draw for flies and stress in the heat is bad too. Soooo....if it was me....I'd wait till late fall when the weather turns cold. Same as I do for dehorning cattle.

[Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians]

I would band them as soon as they kid, use this time to give them a CD&T vaccination 6 weeks before they kid and then again 3 weeks before they kid, this way they will be current on tetanus. Cut grooves for the band to set in, buy some fural and spray the area each weekend, making sure the bands are still visible or simply add new ones. They will be off in less than 4 weeks. Vicki

[Nyx]

http://www.greatgoats.com/articles/dehorning_text.html
and
http://www.greatgoats.com/articles/dehorning.html

Good pages for banding horns, if you havent' seen these before.

[DocM]

Don't band them when there is a threat of flies. I do my horn banding in late september.

I first used the site listed in the above post, but eventually found some shortcuts, one is to use a dremel tool around the base of the horn to make a groove. The dremel is quick. If you don't have or can't find a dremel tool, get a small round file as used to sharpen a chainsaw blade. Use two bands.