Disbudding

[OneFineAcre]

Hey OFA... Why do you burn the extra area? If it's not directly over the horn nubs, is there some special reason to burn there? Where did the scur develop? over where the horn originally was or elsewhere?

Because a bucks horn base is larger that a does and it's where the second burn is
The scurs develop there
Most of the time a scur is in front of the nub
I didn't do the one in the picture
That was Fortunato when we got him
I could never get that second burn right nothing to hold tip down

 

[OneFineAcre]

This is our buck tip
You put the pointed side in towards were the second burn is on figure 8
I'll get a pic the next time we do one

 

[babsbag]

Quite often we burn bucks three times over the course of 2 months to get rid of all of the scurs. My iron doesn't have an interchangeable tip but I didn't buy a buck tip to use on someone else's iron but have never done it. Not even sure where the tip is now that I think about it.

 

[ragdollcatlady]

Here is a pic of how I "hold" my kids to disbud. I tried wrapping in towels and having someone else restrain, but they struggled so much and I am too afraid of injuring my assistants (human children) so this way I control the kid and, should anything go awry, I will know and can respond fast. Super important with such a hot tool.

Basically the kid hangs between my knees. My ankles cross and I am leaning against the wall, mostly anchored by my front leg. The other leg is gently securing the kid by the ribcage and once I stop burning and pull the iron out of the way, I move the back leg to "drop" the kid and my assistant grabs her, comforts, ices and checks while I make sure the iron is safely out of the way before assessing how we did and how much more to do. I hold the head against my right leg to burn the left side and vice versa. I am shocked at how little most of the kids squirm when held this way (and they have no leverage anyways) and it has been far less stressful for me and the kids to restrain like this.

This particular kid is 2 weeks old but as you can see, her nub is barely coming through. Normally my kids are smaller and younger, between 3 and 7 days when I disbud. I am still not great at it, but getting better every time.

 

[cteague]

Thank u everyone for all this info. I think i am still going to go through with taking them to the vet. The Dr I am taking them to has had experience with disbudding. Shes been in business over 20 yrs. And they plan to sedate them. I hope all goes well. The one I pictured that we burned, one horn is good and the bud fell off, and the other is attached. And i felt it and it feels firm. Im really nervous about tomorrow, but i think we made the right decision. Hopefully she can show me what to do and i can maybe stomach it next year. Once again thank u so much!

 

[Latestarter]

You gotta do what you gotta do Hope it all works out for you and your "kids"

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Because you are newer to this and it sounds like it's your first time, have you considered having a vet or another dairy goat breeder do it and teach you?

I called the vet but they want to scoop them out. I think I would rather just burn them. I think that will be alot less stressful.

@cteague are you using this vet? Or a different vet?

My first suggestion was to find someone to show/teach you, glass you were able to find someone

 

[cteague]

@cteague are you using this vet? Or a different vet?

My first suggestion was to find someone to show/teach you, glass you were able to find someone

She told me to bring my burner and she would decided which was best. I will push towards burning. I really dont want an open wound on them. But now will be better than if it was fly season. Im so nervous. I had someone that said they would. But when it came tim to do it they backed out.

 

[cteague]

Well this was an experience. Everything went great. Everyone got done. 2 were casterated. Then things went side ways. The 1st little boy didnt want to wake up. And we had a bleeder. The dr thinks an artery in the skin got nicked. 2 did great. But all were sleepy. It took 4 hrs to get the sleepy one to wake up enough to cone home. And almost an hr ro get the bleeder to stop. Got home and let them rest. Will be checking on them in a few hrs. I have to sleep. I have been up 18 hrs. The dr told ne had we done this on the farm they would have been up kicking their heels. But u try and do it where they wouldnt feel it and things went the way they did. I told her we may just hold them down and no sedation next time i have some. A totally new learning experience for sure now time for some rest.

 

[ragdollcatlady]

I had a couple bleeders a few times. Reburning the blood vessel didn't work so I used a hemostat to pinch it shut, but a few minutes after the stat is removed, they scratch and it starts again. So I made a pressure bandage out of a telfa (non stick bandage)and duct tape for the night. By the next day it has always been better.

Duct tape is my best friend.