Dehorning

Youngfarmer2019

True BYH Addict
Joined
Nov 22, 2022
Messages
683
Reaction score
2,051
Points
223
Location
Northwestern NC
Anybody have experience dehorning? Almost had a doeling disemboweled today. What does dehorning process look like? Wire blade? Filing and banding?

The black adult doe(horned) vs the tricolor doeling(naturally polled), luckily nobody was seriously hurt, Nala turned a few somersaults though.
 

Attachments

  • 6371CE6C-596B-46A1-8B69-AADF1F3A1D80.jpeg
    6371CE6C-596B-46A1-8B69-AADF1F3A1D80.jpeg
    185.1 KB · Views: 64
  • 08F38B40-53F6-4596-AD50-695CA48F36B5.jpeg
    08F38B40-53F6-4596-AD50-695CA48F36B5.jpeg
    340.5 KB · Views: 59

Mini Horses

Herd Master
Joined
Sep 4, 2015
Messages
9,291
Reaction score
29,340
Points
728
Location
S coastal VA
Well, once there it's a big process!! Most of mine are horned...I'll say this, with horns they use that head way more often than those without. 😟.

I know several ways but, recommend none. 😞

As young kids, dehorning is best...with a burn tool. That doesn't help you but -- that's it.
 

Youngfarmer2019

True BYH Addict
Joined
Nov 22, 2022
Messages
683
Reaction score
2,051
Points
223
Location
Northwestern NC
Well
Well, once there it's a big process!! Most of mine are horned...I'll say this, with horns they use that head way more often than those without. 😟.

I know several ways but, recommend none. 😞

As young kids, dehorning is best...with a burn tool. That doesn't help you but -- that's it.
at this point it’s dehorn all or sell the little one🤷‍♀️, not a great solution when I’m trying to build my herd…
 

rittert3

Loving the herd life
Joined
Nov 16, 2009
Messages
135
Reaction score
35
Points
178
Disbudding is so much less traumatic. Segregation is so much better. I agree that it's a vet job.. but I'd consider selling out of either polled/disbudded or horned goats. I like horns if mothers are birthing on pasture and the fence is tight enough. But in a close contact, barnyard setting, or where there is risk of getting heads stuck disbursing makes alot more sense. I wouldn't be opposed to using a horned doe to get going but as soon as she was a problem, she would be gone.
 

Ridgetop

Herd Master
Joined
Mar 13, 2015
Messages
6,572
Reaction score
22,275
Points
693
Location
Shadow Hills, CA
Bought a couple meat kids 30 years ago for older kids' first 4-H meat project. The y both had horns and the breeder (an older goat breeder and rancher) got a wire saw and had me hold the kids while he sawed off the horns. NO anesthetic and very bloody - he cauterized the horn stumps. There is a major blood vessel running into the horns, you will need to cauterize it or the goat can bleed to death. Oh and if you do it yourself, wear old clothes since the blood spurts. I had a 2 hour drive home in blood soaked clothes. :sick

I would use a vet for an older goat. See if your local vet can come out and do it at the ranch. Sedate the goat, saw off the horns with a wire saw, cauterize, antibiotics, bandage, and done. Then invest in a disbudding iron and disbud all doe kids and any others you are not taking to the sale yard by 3 months. Ethnic buyers want their goats to have horns and testicles so you get a higher price leaving them on. Make sure to sell at or by 3 months for best price.

We had dairy goats and were in 4-H shows where horns are forbidden (in any show except Boer) so we routinely disbudded a doe kids. We would do one buck for practice before doing the does. DS2 at 14 was disbudding for 4-Hers and other goat breeders. He never had a scur grow.

We dislike horns for children since they are the right height to lose an eye when a goat tosses her head back. If you watch your herd you will see that they will normally hook backwards without looking at what is behind them when walking in a herd. This is part of establishing and keeping herd dominance. I had a pygmy goat hook me in the leg and open a large cut when feeding for a friend who was out of town. No harm intended, just hooked backwards and caught me in the thigh. Horns also get caught in fences and feeders, and goats with horns seem to fight more frequently.

I agree the horns make nice handles, but the advantages are not enough to convince me that a family herd of goats needs them. They are good for defense, but then we keep LGDs for protection.
 
Top