still not sure if this disbudding thing is right....

[MamaDee]

We just disbudded our 3rd kid. I still am not satisfied that I am doing it properly. Her buds were still quite small--it was a 12 day old Kinder doeling.

I have a good iron-Rhinehart X30. I burned for 6 seconds on one side and waited 30. Then repeated on the other. After I did this three times I felt I had a copper ring. So, since alot of people go to white I thought I might go another time around and see if I could get some white too--for good measure.

After two more go arounds I still saw no white--in fact the copper seemed to have turned more blackish. I just could not see burning any more. It seemed like too much already. For those of you you get to white: how many times for how long do you have to keep going before you see white? (I realized each goat is different, but give me some idea, please!)

I just don't know if I did enough. But it seemed like I shouldn't do any more......maybe I'm not using enough pressure? The first times I used very light pressure--just rocking the iron around the circle. The last couple of times I used more, thinking that might help, but it didn't.

Dee

[sungirl]

Sounds like you did it right. I have found each kid is different, so well wait and see. If there seems to be a growing horn bud in a week out two do it once again.

[Mary Cody]

I just did 8 kids.. 12 seconds each side with medium pressure, flip the cap off then 4 seconds over the horn bud. then the other side. Put 7% iodine on and no problems, no scurs.. All kids happy.

[Sweet Goats]

OH, I am so happy I do not have to do that.

[deetu]

Originally Posted by Mary Cody

I just did 8 kids.. 12 seconds each side with medium pressure, flip the cap off then 4 seconds over the horn bud. then the other side. Put 7% iodine on and no problems, no scurs.. All kids happy.

You know, I don't pop the cap (which totally grosses me out) and I didn't have scurs on the young kids I did. I did have a little scurs on the two week old kids but just small ones and they fell off.

Dee, I make sure the iron is really hot (at least 10 minutes heating)before starting, actually burning into a piece of pine to make sure. Then I wait 10 minutes between kids to make sure it is hot again. I held for 8 minutes, constant pressure while turning (my husband saying "make sure there's a copper ring" in my ear each time) like a bottle brush in a jar (squeek, squeek) The only thing I didn't do, which I should have, was wear heavy gloves in case I slipped.

It really is easier if the kid is only a week old, when you first feel the buds.

[Goat Servant]

cough cough gag sputter I can smell that burnt hair clear from here!