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03/06/07, 11:34 AM
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Missouri
Posts: 487
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Question about disbudding
I forgot to ask this on either of my other posts this morning. Little Ace is 5 days old today. He is half Saanen and half pygmy. I called our vet to ask about disbudding him. He told me to wait till he was about 3 months old, then bring him in. I know from from my own experience and from reading on here, none of you wait that long.  I am just starting to feel his little horn buds. I have a disbudder that you heat with a torch. I guess I will try to do it myself. I have been doing alot of reading up on it. I used to disbud our goats years ago when we had them.
Just to refresh my memory, how old should he be, before I do this? Also, should he have his first CDT shot before? His mama was vaccinated about 2 weeks before he was born.
Thanks,
Winona
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03/06/07, 11:54 AM
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Pook's Hollow
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Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: Ontario, Canada
Posts: 4,570
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Three months!?! He'll have horns by then. 
If you can feel the horn buds, it's time to do him - especially as it's a male. Their horns grow bigger and faster.
I don't worry about CDT shots when I disbud - but when (if) you wether him, or if you had to dehorn him, then he should have it.
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"Crivens!" 
Half Caper Farm - breeding Saanens, Boers and Nigerian Dwarfs
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03/06/07, 12:00 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Location: Missouri
Posts: 9,208
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Winona, whereabouts in Missouri are you?? If its anywhere remotely near Mountain Grove or Cabool, you'd be more than welcome to come here and help me disbudd a few. I could do your boy for you too if that would work better. I'm disbudding every week so its easy to fit in. I feel for anyone doing it alone their first time. 
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Emily Dixon
Ozark Jewels
Nubians & Lamanchas
www.ozarkjewels.net
"Remember, no man is a failure, who has friends" -Clarence
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03/06/07, 12:10 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Feb 2007
Location: Texas
Posts: 2,370
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I think the CDT will carry through from mama and that he'll get his own shots at 30 days and 60 days. Someone will correct me if that's wrong.
We just disbudded 9 day old nubians - no shot, just sprayed the "buds" with furall when we were done. They'll get their CDT later. Hope that helps--
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03/06/07, 12:33 PM
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Green Woman
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Indiana - North Central
Posts: 1,955
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Uh, three MONTHS is like, just forget it and leave the horns.
Mebbe your vet is used to calves?
When you feel them 'erupting' like teeth? Better disbud. Bucks erupt faster than does...
Make sure there are HORN BUDS there though... I have natural polling in some of my Kinders... No horns, just a ridge-ish area...
AND MAKE SURE YOU LET THE IRON HEAT UP ENOUGH IN BETWEEN BURNS. I have scurs all on the 'second' side from not letting it heat up enough...
buncha shorthorn unicorns...
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03/06/07, 01:07 PM
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Banned
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: NW OR
Posts: 2,314
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3 months is a surgical dehorning, you don't want to do that. The vet will literally dig them out of his skull, leaving gaping holes that in three months will be huge fly targets.
Disbudding should be done soon, before 10 days for best results, although I've done pygmies later. Regardless of mom's immunity, I just go ahead and give the first CDT when I disbud. I give another 30 days later.
Um, how did the mechanics of a pygmy/saanen cross happen?
Last edited by DocM; 03/06/07 at 01:10 PM.
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03/06/07, 02:19 PM
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Join Date: May 2004
Location: Missouri
Posts: 487
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Thanks everyone for your advice. I knew our vet was wrong. I don't think he knows much about goats. He told me he just burns them off. I was, like, but they have horns by then. No way I am putting Ace through that. I'd rather leave the horns.
Emily, I'd gladly take you up on the offer, but I am in northwest Missouri, probably at least 6 hours away. No way my dh would agree to that, but it was really kind of you to offer. I disbudded my goats when I had them before, probably 20 years ago. Just haven't done it for so long, didn't think I could remember.
DocM, we have lots of hills. Also, these were first fresheners, so shorter.
Thank you everyone for your help. I will try to get dh to help me tomorrow.
Winona
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03/06/07, 03:15 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2006
Location: Northern California
Posts: 6,350
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Burns them off at three months? Even newbie me is totally appalled by that... poor little things.  Horns by then, ouchies.
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03/06/07, 03:21 PM
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Join Date: Oct 2002
Posts: 212
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You could band the horns at 3 months or beyond, but using a disbudding iron? Is that even possible?  The vet must have meant surgical removal. I bet that'd come with a nice hefty bill too.
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"Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand." † ~ St. Augustine
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03/07/07, 12:51 AM
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(formerly Laura Jensen)
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Join Date: May 2002
Location: Lynnwood, Washington
Posts: 2,379
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I'd do it ASAP. Here's a link to my page on disbudding kids. http://www.glimmercroft.com/Disbudding.html . It tells how to do it solo, just in case your potential helper is squeamish.
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www.glimmercroft.com
The basic message of liberalism is simply: The true measure of a society is how it treats the weak and the needy. A simple Christian message (Matthew 25:40). -Garrison Keillor
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03/07/07, 11:08 AM
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: Missouri
Posts: 1,273
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I would disbud him now - due to not having a sitter for my baby I have had to wait until two weeks and it's just too long for my boerX and nubians.
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