First for me

Doug Hodges · #1 03/22/14, 12:17 PM

Had a young lady post on Facebook to borrow a Disbudding iron. I told her to bring her goats and we would Disbud on my porch. She just left. The three kids were getting older. (Pygmys I think) the horns were an inch long. I had read about cutting it off and burning. I told her I had never done this before. She said she couldn't afford the vet. So I got my hoof trimmers and snipped the horn off and hit it with the iron. Once I had it seared pretty good. I cut it down with the trimmers until it was nearly smooth and did a clover leaf pattern over the horn area. They looked pretty good when they left. I am curious as to if they develop scurs.

She said the vet cut way down into the head and their was a whole lot of blood involved. Not nearly what we had today. I should of took pictures.

Helena · #2 03/22/14, 12:25 PM

Hope she gave them a tetanus shot before hand...don't think I would have done this for her. People are odd...If she can't afford a vet visit..and on time..for horns..does she have the time and money to even have goats...

Doug Hodges · #3 03/22/14, 12:27 PM

Doubt she gave them a shot. She has used the vet in the past. She said her husband doesn't think an iron is worth the investment.

CraterCove · #4 03/22/14, 12:44 PM

I'm sorry but I think people who pay the cost to use a vet for dis-budding are frivolous. Of course around here they won't do it except for as a surgery and it costs an arm and a leg.

It definitely rubs me the wrong way when people say things like, "If they can't afford 'A' they shouldn't 'B'." You don't know what it costs in their area and whether or not such a service is even available. Like, I can't afford to have a vet out to administer a charcoal drench because it ends up costing in excess of 150$ which I found out when I couldn't find any charcoal in any store near me. So I guess I shouldn't have goats because I can't afford the vet.

I've done disbudding as a favor to people but; with a full disclosure of how I would handle it and that I'm no vet and it can be a traumatic event. People are weird... but then you just don't deal with those people anymore.

Alice In TX/MO · #5 03/22/14, 12:46 PM

Doug, bless you for helping her out. This is what goatie folks do!!

PricklyThistle · #6 03/22/14, 01:48 PM

I think a lot of folk who choose to keep livestock do so because they want to better their financial independence by growing their own food which means many homesteaders are not rich and can't afford to call a vet for everything. Learning to do for one's self and for others is a big part of what it's all about.

dozedotz · #7 03/22/14, 02:06 PM

Doug, you have a big heart. It won't do any good, I know...but you really do need to be a little careful!! It is good to help people/goats and hard to argue against that...but you are really putting yourself and your herd at risk. Like I said, it won't do any good! You are who you are and we all are very fond of you...just be a little more careful, please!!!

TeenyTinyFarm · #8 03/22/14, 02:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CraterCove

I'm sorry but I think people who pay the cost to use a vet for dis-budding are frivolous. Of course around here they won't do it except for as a surgery and it costs an arm and a leg.

It definitely rubs me the wrong way when people say things like, "If they can't afford 'A' they shouldn't 'B'." You don't know what it costs in their area and whether or not such a service is even available. Like, I can't afford to have a vet out to administer a charcoal drench because it ends up costing in excess of 150$ which I found out when I couldn't find any charcoal in any store near me. So I guess I shouldn't have goats because I can't afford the vet.

I've done disbudding as a favor to people but; with a full disclosure of how I would handle it and that I'm no vet and it can be a traumatic event. People are weird... but then you just don't deal with those people anymore.

I don't think it is frivolous at all to have a vet disbud. I have two kids that need it done. I have never done it myself and it has been years since I have seen it done. I don't feel comfortable buying an iron and testing my skills on my two little goats. Their is a person nearby who advertises the service on Craigslist for $10, but I don't know them from Adam. Right now the only "goat" person I know and trust IS my vet, so she will be doing it.

TeenyTinyFarm · #9 03/22/14, 02:47 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Hodges

Had a young lady post on Facebook to borrow a Disbudding iron. I told her to bring her goats and we would Disbud on my porch. She just left. The three kids were getting older. (Pygmys I think) the horns were an inch long. I had read about cutting it off and burning. I told her I had never done this before. She said she couldn't afford the vet. So I got my hoof trimmers and snipped the horn off and hit it with the iron. Once I had it seared pretty good. I cut it down with the trimmers until it was nearly smooth and did a clover leaf pattern over the horn area. They looked pretty good when they left. I am curious as to if they develop scurs.

She said the vet cut way down into the head and their was a whole lot of blood involved. Not nearly what we had today. I should of took pictures.

If you lived near me, I would jump at the opportunity to have you help me with mine. A very nice thing you did.

Alice In TX/MO · #10 03/22/14, 03:15 PM

This is going to look like thread drift, but I'll tie it all together.

I taught in public schools for fifteen years. More than one administrator chided me for going the extra mile for some students and told me that it wasn't important for the students to like me. They told me that I'd have my heart broken, etc., etc., etc.

THANK GOODNESS I DID NOT TAKE THEIR ADVICE to harden my heart and push students away.

Whether it's working with students (even the problem students) or helping goat folks or managing rent houses for middle income renters, the joy that I've experienced FAR outweighs the heartbreak. Yes, some folks disappoint, some are mean, and some take advantage.

BUT...... I still help people with goats, with housing, with whatever I can manage to do. It's who I am, and it brings me joy.

Doug is a helper. More power to him.

CraterCove · #11 03/22/14, 03:52 PM

Doug is someone I would _love_ to have as a neighbor (and I despise neighbors).

I would have gone to them instead of bringing strange goats to my place, but I certainly applaud him for helping someone who needed it. Him helping her this time could mean a good long relationship where information and ideas are exchanged and the lot of people and goat alike are lifted.

wintrrwolf · #12 03/22/14, 06:58 PM

I think Doug did a very nice thing, it would have been helpful if I had had someone like that around here. Since he did em on the front porch I think to keep his goats safe since they are outback that was smart. But I would add maybe next time have them sign a release of "something" so you can't be sued for "something" if something goes wrong.
My vet here bores the horn out it is a very bloody procedure and not something that I would pay to have done.
Since I don't want my dairy goats to have horns the 75-90 dollars is a very small investment.
My homesteading interest lies in the fact in 20 yrs when I get to retire my ssi income will be around 800, with supplement peers/401k of about 200 a month, I need my homesteading set up well enough to supplement this income. 20 yrs goes a lot faster after 40 lol.

Doug Hodges · #13 03/22/14, 08:02 PM

That is the reason it was a front porch thing. Plus I didn't want to drive the 30 minutes to her place. She was very young. She alluded to the fact that her husband wasn't the nicest man. I do have a big heart. It's who I am. I live by "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you" it's burnt me a few times but I will always live that way. It's how I was raised and it's how I raise my own.

I did point out that I wasn't responsible because I had never done this before with horns I had to cut off first. She said she understood and they were bound for the freezer and she couldn't keep them if they had horns. (Another husband reference I assumed)

I do a lot of things in my life with the belief that I am blessed and God will continue to bless me. Jamie mentioned that I had said in the past that I didn't want strange goats here. I had peace about it.

Brighton · #14 03/22/14, 09:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PricklyThistle

I think a lot of folk who choose to keep livestock do so because they want to better their financial independence by growing their own food which means many homesteaders are not rich and can't afford to call a vet for everything. Learning to do for one's self and for others is a big part of what it's all about.

There is that, but what did she learn, she went off and left them with him, if I am reading it right (which I wasn't an I apologize for that). So did she learn to do it herself after all that??

Doug Hodges · #15 03/22/14, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Brighton

There is that, but what did she learn, she went off and left them with him, if I am reading it right. If she wanted to learn and save Vet fees she would have stayed and helped and LEARNED!!

She was right there helping the whole time. She held them.

crazy4equines · #16 03/23/14, 07:39 AM

[QUOTE=CraterCove;7012891]I'm sorry but I think people who pay the cost to use a vet for dis-budding are frivolous.[QUOTE]

I don't agree with this at all, some people choose not to do it because they don't feel comfortable at all. I think what Doug did was great and I am one of those people who chooses not to castrate or dehorn, I could do it IF I really needed to but I have a wonderful 4-H Kid who does it for me and I pay him, not what a vet would charge but it helps him with his goat herd and other projects. When he goes of to college I will dearly miss him but I have a vet that will come out and disbud and castrate for me and I don't mind paying for that as well.

CraterCove · #17 03/23/14, 07:47 AM

[quote=crazy4equines;7013666][QUOTE=CraterCove;7012891]I'm sorry but I think people who pay the cost to use a vet for dis-budding are frivolous.

Quote:

I don't agree with this at all, some people choose not to do it because they don't feel comfortable at all. I think what Doug did was great and I am one of those people who chooses not to castrate or dehorn, I could do it IF I really needed to but I have a wonderful 4-H Kid who does it for me and I pay him, not what a vet would charge but it helps him with his goat herd and other projects. When he goes of to college I will dearly miss him but I have a vet that will come out and disbud and castrate for me and I don't mind paying for that as well.

I did also explain that no one around here will do it without it being a surgery, putting the goat under (a dangerous thing) and surgically removing the horn bud as one might with a cow. And, if one chooses to pay for someone else to do this work then that's great if they can afford it--- but I am also of the opinion buying a Coach handbag is frivolous when a plain old wallet stuffed in one's pocket will do. Yet, by lifestyle choice or affluence many people buy those handbags.

TeenyTinyFarm · #18 03/23/14, 09:14 AM

I think the really important thing here is that we do the right thing for our goats; perform disbudding in the most humane and safe way possible. The means by which we choose to accomplish this are really irrelevant. If a goat keeper does the procedure themselves or pays to have if performed, it is no matter to anyone else. No reason to pass judgement or make assumptions about someone's economic status, because in the end they did (in their opinion) what was best for their goat.

crazy4equines · #19 03/23/14, 11:43 AM

When I have had to have my vet dehorn and castrate with sedation it would only cost me $10 per goat, which is not too terrible. I am a pretty frugal person but when it comes to my animals I will spend more money on them than myself.

GraceAlice · #20 03/23/14, 11:54 AM

My vet has successfully disbudded tons of goats by putting them under. Costs 75.00. Everyone has their own opinion and it is no one's job to judge one another. Some people have success with things while others don't.

I don't disbud because I think the procedure is inhumane, but do I go around judging other people and telling them they shouldn't be doing it? No, because I'm not the boss of everyone and I'm not the most experienced goat person ever. I've also never disbudded before, so I can't say how bad it really is. Very rarely do I even bring this up. Anyone can do what they want with their goats. Whether you agree with it or not is not important because what you write on this forum will most likely not change one's way of thinking.

I honestly don't understand why these types of threads always turn into arguments. You can merely mention the word disbud and it immediately sets a bomb off. People sit here and write long posts that go on and on about what is right, when really, does anyone think arguing will make a difference?

Doug did a nice thing for a young lady and that is all that matters to me (and hopefully to some others).