Dehorning

[ONThorsegirl]

As you all have probably seen I don't have many goats, but I wouldn't mind getting a couple more does. There is a person selling purebred/ or boer Cross Does, bred for the Spring. I wouldn't mind getting a couple more but as you all know horns are just a part of it! I would prefer not to have horns it I can help it, My First Doeling obviously has horns, as I didn't have a way to remove them.

I know from calves there are different methods to removing the horns. Recently we burnt some calves horns at school (Ag. College) with a burner the horns were only little knubbs(spelling.. ) so the burner cauterizes around the outside, there for it doesn't grow. Does this method work for Kids? (Sorry if its a really stupid or obvious question!)

There is also the Caustic Paste? Anyone used this? Does it work?

Any other suggestions would be great. I just don't want to go out and buy something specially made for Goats, if I can use it on calves as well that would be better, or the paste would be best!!! Cheaper, I know alot of people like it to use on calves, but I wasn't sure.

Thanks, Melissa

[Alice In TX/MO]

Caustic paste did not work for me.

[ONThorsegirl]

Rose, could it have possibly been that they wipped it off on something? How old were they?

[TerryJ]

We have used everything to dehorn with, we use the paste. It works the best for us. We have about 200-250 kids a year next year 250-300, I know there are not alot of fans for the paste here.

[mygoat]

Ug, I can't imagine the paste. What if it got elsewhere? On you, in it's eyes, on another baby? or if momma tried to lick it off? Not to mention it must be on there for an extended period of time, instead of just a few seconds of disbudding via iron. If you're looking for an iron to disbud both calves and goats, get a rhineheart x50. When disbudding, the most important advice I can give is to allow the iron a minute or two to heat up again between horn buds. Burn one, wait a few, then burn the other.

The bumps where horns grow are called horn buds.

You could just buy the does in question, then sell them after kidding and raise their disbudded kids as your new herd. That way, at least you won't have them in your herd for ever.

[ONThorsegirl]

Oh I wasn't thinking about the Does, I would have to see if their are horned. I will see how that goes, if I decide to go see them and if the price is right!

Melissa

[Feral Nature]

I disbud everything with my trusty disbudding iron, even my Boers. I hate horns and I love smooth round head

Here is a link with some pics and info on disbudding:

http://www.fiascofarm.com/goats/disbudding.htm

[chamoisee]

Lots of bad experience here with paste, threw the stuff out, will never use it again.

Disbud with a dehorning iron at 1-2 weeks old.