Another disbudding question... sorry :o)

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Well, a few of our kids (mainly bucks) have upraised lumps where they were disbudded. It looks like their horns are growing regardless of the disbudding. Should we re-do them? If so, how is the best way? All of our kids were done between 5-10 days old. The few that are obviously still growing are about 5wks old. My husband feels this would be too traumatic for them & that we should wait until they get actual pointy horns and then snip them off & cauterize them. (this doesn't sound any less traumatic to me) Our main goal is we don't want them with horns that will get caught in the fence. Any and all ideas/suggestions are welcome.

-- Sharon in AL (Sharonspaws@aol.com), March 11, 2002

Answers

I would re-burn. I just did 2 two bucklings today that are almost 6 weeks old. The hardest thing was holding them down. I don't think it was anymore traumatic than doing it the first time. Some of those bucks have the most stubborn horn buds! :-( I think you will have better luck getting rid of them completely by re-burning them now.

-- Wendy (weiskids@yahoo.com), March 11, 2002.

Hi Sharon, I would also hit them again with the iron. You just didn't hold it on long enough. This time when you burn, take your hoof trimmers and cut the growing bud off flat to the head, using the hot iron to cauterise any bleeders. The burn for the 15 seconds or whatever you burner takes. Using your finger pop off any of the hornbud that is left, and really clean up any hair or dead tissue. Now reburn till a copper ring is reached, all the way around. If you just burn the top of the hornbud, it will just a grow a horn with a weird little circle on the top of it :) vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh TX (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), March 12, 2002.

I am new to owning a kid - a buckling actually. He's great and approximately 2 months old. My vet suggested dehorning him since he's a pet....would this hurt him at this age? I am more biased to leaving his horns intact.

-- Linda Exume (heidihogirl@hotmail.com), May 19, 2002.

Yes, it will hurt him. But if you leave the horns on, he won't be a pet for long, he'll be a hazard. Not only are horns dangerous to the goatkeeper and other goats, and the goat who owns them (the horns get caught in fences), but a horned buck will literally tear his pen and barn apart with the horns. They pry the boards up with them- if it bashing the wood to smithereens isn't effective...Dealing with horns is not fun! Also, horned goats develop a whole different personality than if the horns are absent. There may be a few horned bucks that are gentle, but my experience was very negative, and other goatkeepers have related similar stories; or their legs being laid open to the bone, or of hands being impaled. Often the buck was not usually violent, it can be a freak accident or maybe he is all worked up over a young doe in heat that he can't have, and takes it out on the owner.

BTW speaking of does in heat...if he is just for a pet, you should probably have him made into a wether. I love my bucks, but they are really not pet material when fall comes around. :)

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), May 19, 2002.


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