How do you know of your kid has had a "bad disbudding job"?

RosieNPearl

RosieNPearl

Exploring the pasture
Joined
Jul 25, 2014
Messages
13
Reaction score
4
Points
18
We welcomed two sweet doelings born 6/27 (my bday :)) and 6/22. My bday doeling was disbudded with a paste and her cousin who is older was disbudded with an iron. It looks like she was burned to her skull and will her fur ever grow/cover that area? Its still completely bald and looks like her skull is exposed. My younger doeling looks to be healing normally. I am a total newbie to goats so any advice is appreciated.So the doeling in question was born 6/22. Thank you in advance!
 
doxiemoxie

doxiemoxie

Loving the herd life
Joined
Jun 3, 2011
Messages
413
Reaction score
16
Points
166
Location
Northern Calif
Properly disbudding a goat means getting into the skull because that is where the horns grow from. Using an iron to burn the horn tissue is the preferred method. The biggest concern with it is that the heat can cause brain damage. The area around each horn bud on your little doe should appear black with a copper looking ring at the outside. Sometimes a goat will rub the burn and cause it to bleed. This is normally not a problem but needs to be watched and treated if the rubbing is excessive or if signs of infection appear. It takes a few weeks before the hair starts to grow back, and it usually comes back completely!

Here's a link that goes into good detail: http://kinne.net/disbud.htm
 
RosieNPearl

RosieNPearl

Exploring the pasture
Joined
Jul 25, 2014
Messages
13
Reaction score
4
Points
18
Thank you!!! Ok I was concerned because my other doeling was disbudded using paste and hers looks totally different! It's hard to believe she will ever have enough fur to cover those burned areas, it's definitely burned to the skull as you described.
 
Egg_Newton

Egg_Newton

Loving the herd life
Joined
May 19, 2010
Messages
305
Reaction score
55
Points
123
Location
Gaston, IN
It seems like it takes FOREVER for it to completely heal and the hair to grow back, but it will eventually. I just picked up a 12 week old doeling this weekend and she still has a spot that hasn't healed.
 
Last edited:
You must log in or register to reply here.

Latest posts

Sister Sites

BackYardChickens.com
SufficientSelf.com
TheEasyGarden.com
Top