What kind/type of disbudder do you use? We've never had baby goats before (we're really excited), and we have mixed feelings about disbudding, but we think we're going to do it. We have too many problems with small goats getting caught in the fence. I've looked at Jeffers Livestock and Caprine Supply, I'm just not sure which type to get. Any ideas and experience would be greatly appreciated.

-- Sharon in AL (Sharonspaws@aol.com), January 07, 2002

Answers

Response to Type of disbudder to use?

Horns in goats is one of those topics that seems to disolve in to---- shall we say... vehement discussions! :-) Kind of like horse topics... I have used at various times all of the disbudding irons featured in Jeffers. The only one that i didn't care for was the huge one that looks like a big hunk of steele on the end of a handle with a hole drilled thru it. It is very heavy and just too big. I felt like I was just baking their brains..... I had one of the Link ( the cheapest one) for many years and did a gazillion kids with it before burning it out. I now have one of the more expensive one and it does about the same job but has a faster re-heating time. The key to disbudding is to keep rocking or turning that iron until you get a deep true copper ring around that horn bud. Some people just hold it still until they get that color and that works but I have found that rocking it around the bud gives ma a bit wider ring and I don't have as many scurs or re-growth. Tana Mc

-- Tana McCarter (mcfarm@totelcsi.net), January 07, 2002.

Response to Type of disbudder to use?

I got my disbudding iron from Caprine Supply. I have had great luck with it. It was so hard the first time...scary to hold that hot iron to the baby goats head...yikes. I had my grown son holding the goat. (as yet no holding box..that will come) and my friend with a watch to time it. I was afraid I would leave it on too long. It smells awful!...be sure to trim the hair around the bud really well..and don't wait longer than a week old to do it...its alot harder then. The little goat will bounce back quickly..it is amazing. I had a harder time than any baby has. But I do hate it. DON"T try the paste stuff...so easy to get in their eyes. I didn't learn that by experience, but heard horror stories from others who did. Good luck. I try to buy a new tool for the livestock each year. I have had the disbudding iron for 2 years now...I am glad I got it.

-- Jenny in CA (auntjenny6@aol.com), January 07, 2002.

Response to Type of disbudder to use?

Do any of you spray on anything after disbudding?

-- gita (gita@directcon.net), January 07, 2002.

Response to Type of disbudder to use?

It don't spray anything. As long as it is dry type thing it would probably be alright. It is a burn so don't put any oily type ointment that would hold in the heat. Tana Mc

-- Tana McCarter (mcfarm@totelcsi.net), January 07, 2002.

Response to Type of disbudder to use?

Sharon, I can not imagine learning to do this on my own. My mentor taught me just like I have taught 99% of my customers. You bring me your first babies, I do the does and you do the bucks while I watch. Most buy the Rhinehart 50 since that is what we use, and they bring their new iron with them to learn with. We also retrofit the tops, we do not use the goat tips, they have way to small of inside diameter and do nothing more than rock on the top of the horn bud, even if you have previously snipped them off short. With not a wide enough burn, scurs come up on most bucks and most doelings done when older. Some swiss breed bucks we have done the first day! If you can't fit your thumb into the inside of your burner, with it unplugged :) than it is to small, and all of the ones we have used are to small. We use a 3/4 inch copper bushing, looks like some sort of copper water pipe fitting. We do not have scurs. Yes I use a aresole dissenfectant on top, makes little difference if it is Furox or purple wound spray, it cools the head quickly. Just don't goop it up with ointments, you want it to dry, not stay wet and soft. Also CD&T! And understand that the kid is dead if you get tetanus at disbudding and are waiting for the Tetanus Toxoid to take effect, if the dam was not vaccinated and you have tetanus in your area, than use the antioxin shot at the same time, this gives you that window of time for the CD&T Toxoid shot to take effect, and the second booster to be given. We have seen kids die of tetanus, not here, on day 21 of being disbudded, without vaccination. We also lost a lamb after his tail was docked. Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), January 07, 2002.

Vicky,

Do you just attach the modified part on your disbudder or just kind of wedge it on? I have pretty good luck with the bucks by burning an 8 shape. Basically doing it twice (2 circles not two different times!) with overlapping circles. It would be nice to adapt mine and just do it once.

-- Tana McCarter (mcfarm@totelcsi.neet), January 08, 2002.

Sharon...I use a Lenk 125. It's a smaller disbudding iron, but the larger ones were ackward for me to use (I have bad wrists!) I've had it for almost 10 yrs now and it still gets the job done with no future scurs on the does. Sometimes the bucks or wethers need to be burned again. Make sure you get a good copper-colored ring. A warm bottle of milk immediately afterwards helps them forget the discomfort. A kid box would be a great help, also! My FIL made one for me many years ago and I don't know what I did without it! When I first got started in goats, there was no one in my area that knew about them. Folks just wanted to know what I was going to "do" with "nanny" goats :-)!! Would have been nice to have had a mentor (like Vicki) but most of what I learned I got from books and periodicals...and trial and error! I'm sure you'll catch on quickly!!! Goats are alot of fun!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), January 08, 2002.

I haven't heard anyone else mention this, but the woman who does my kids breaks up the heat application. I think she does two, eight- second (or so) applications on each horn, alternating horns. She says this allows their little brains to cool off and reduces the chance of brain damage, while still doing a number on the horn- producing flesh. She does kids for many people in the area and has been raising goats for 20 years or so, so I feel OK taking her word for most things goat.

-- Laura Jensen (lauraj@seedlaw.com), January 08, 2002.

Vicky, I wish I lived closer to you.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), January 08, 2002.

Thanks for all your input and for reminding me about the tetanus anti toxin, I hadn't ordered it yet. We have CD&T on the way for the kids. This website has great info on disbudding with detailed photos. They also mention about pausing to give the goat a break, and blowing on the area to help its head cool. http://fiascofarm.com/goats/disbudding.htm

-- Sharon in AL (Sharonspaws@aol.com), January 09, 2002.