Our twins got dehorned today :-(

[Lovin' FarmLife]

Is it really necessary? What are the downsides if we didn't dehorn? I'm really torn...because my sweet babies flinched when I went to pet them afterward

[Alice In TX/MO]

Yes. It is worth it. Give them a day, and they will be back to normal.

One thing a lot of folks do not understand is to NEVER pet a young goat on the head or approach a goat with your hand (palm down) toward their head. Goats are prey animals, and they perceive that as an attack.

Downsides:
1. Potential injury to you
2. Potential injury to your children or grandchildren or guests
3. Getting caught in fences
4. Potential injury to other goats, especially udder damage

[Feisty Farm]

I know its hard, but it is worth it. I had my triplets done last week and it was horrible....for me. They bounce back fast. I would never own a goat with horns. If you look to sell the kids, few people will purchase with horns. Just grit your teeth and do it. It is over in seconds.

[Zorro_Bones]

I honestly don't mind the horns except they snag in almost all the fencing my family has used over the years so we always disbudded them when they were young for that reason and that they were required to be hornless for show. Had a pair of horned ones given to us and we learned quickly why they're disbudded. Still doesn't stop them from getting stuck though. Anyways back to disbudding, I can't do it or watch, otherwise I get stomach sick really quick and still do with the burnt smell. All this is ironic since I'm use to a lot of morbid smells.

[BobbyB]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Yes. It is worth it. Give them a day, and they will be back to normal.

One thing a lot of folks do not understand is to NEVER pet a young goat on the head or approach a goat with your hand (palm down) toward their head. Goats are prey animals, and they perceive that as an attack.

Downsides:
1. Potential injury to you
2. Potential injury to your children or grandchildren or guests
3. Getting caught in fences
4. Potential injury to other goats, especially udder damage

And then being mauled by dog/dogs while caught before it is found. Been there done that with meat goats.

I did 6 kids this year. By the next day they acted as if it never happened. and on the 2nd buck kid, I did the figure 8 for the first time, that's 2 burns per side. And he was fine the next day.

[parrotman]

Is it necessary? Individual situations dictate what is appropriate. Me? I'm partial to factory installed equipment.

[travis91]

Can the horns be removed once there 1-3 inches long or is it too late?

[mygoat]

Originally Posted by travis91

Can the horns be removed once there 1-3 inches long or is it too late?

You can try. It is by no means ideal. I've done it for others but never guarantee a clean job, as scurs are likely. What I did was take hoof trimmers and cut them shorter - it is a bit painful and they will bleed - then immediately put the iron over the horn and burn it like a normal disbudding. I popped off the horn bud and reburned a little to cauterize. On bucklings I would definetely do a figure 8 burn (I do that on young kids, too).