Banding off Horns

[OneFineAcre]

It's hard to tell in the picture, but we clipped around the horn base pretty good first. The band and the tape don't seem to be bothering him at all.
He didn't like being restrained when we were filing a notch in the horns and putting the band on. He didn't like that one bit.

It doesn't seem to be bothering him at all.

 

[Latestarter]

So how close to the actual base are you placing the bands? I mean right level with the head/skull? You have to file a notch first? All the way around each horn? Is that simply to keep the band from slipping or does it aid in the banding success somehow? In my search for goats I have passed over a number of them because they had horns and I can't afford the $$ to have a vet surgically remove them and don't want to deal with months of recuperation afterwards... If this banding works, is relatively painless, and permanent, I'd consider buying goats with horns. I don't "want" horns on my goats, so I could just follow y'all's lead and band them.

 

[BlessedWithGoats]

When I did Ashton's horns, I tried to put the band close to the base of the horn, where it joins the head. His seemed to have a small groove already there, and the band has stayed so far. Looking forward to seeing what OFA says about filing a notch in the horn!

 

[OneFineAcre]

As close to the base as you can we got it pretty close
Filed a notch on the front and one on the back for the band to sit in
I'm not sure if it aids the process or not
We know folks in our club who have done it and that's what they said
It seems like it would help though

 

[cteague]

So far my little guy has showed no issue with the bands being on. He doesnt like u to touch them. But im wondering if it is he just dont like his horns touched. He still eats and plays. My only concern is it seems the horns are still growing and the band is just going up with it. When we put the band on it was at the hair line. It has stayed in its place where the grooves are. Should I put more under the other band in the groove??

 

[sadieml]

Banding Jaeger's scurs worked well. They didn't stay away completely, but the majority of the scur didn't come back. I figure if you have to band 'em every few months, that's still better than scurs or horns.

 

[Latestarter]

Hey @sadieml

 

[cteague]

Well my boy has horns. I put the band at the hair line and the band just grew up with the horns. Should i try it again now that they are a little bigger? Hes a pretty boy and i dont want to mess him up. But he is already using them when he plays. With the goats and me.

 

[Latestarter]

Sorry it didn't work for you. I have no idea... Maybe the bands weren't placed low enough to start with? Or maybe not tight enough to cut blood flow?

 

[cteague]

Sorry it didn't work for you. I have no idea... Maybe the bands weren't placed low enough to start with? Or maybe not tight enough to cut blood flow?

I put them at the base next to the hair line. It maynot have been tight enough. He was also disbudded at a vet and that didnt work.