# Clipping a horn scur? *Pics added*



## RoseFell Farms (Aug 11, 2011)

One of our young disbudded goats had a scur grow and curl around. 
It is still a bit flexible but I'm afraid it will start cutting into her head. 

It's thin, about this thick in width -> |------| 
Can I clip it back a bit? Should I file it?

I have never encountered this issue before, extremely odd how it grew.

Thanks in advance.


----------



## manybirds (Aug 11, 2011)

Gerbil said:
			
		

> One of our young disbudded goats had a scur grow and curl around.
> It is still a bit flexible but I'm afraid it will start cutting into her head.
> 
> It's thin, about this thick in width -> |------|
> ...


some of the thinner ones can be twisted off with finger or pliers (called a scur) but some of them are extremely thick and you have to use a bone saw, a band wont work on this thick of a scur, and cut it off with the bone saw in a bloody and traumatizing ordeal (these are called scur horns). I think i have a scur horn on my little wether but he's still a baby so i'm not sure. I was given a link to a site that has really good instructions


----------



## redtailgal (Aug 11, 2011)

.


----------



## kstaven (Aug 12, 2011)

Hard to give advice on this one without seeing it.
Do you have a picture you can post? That may help a lot.


----------



## RoseFell Farms (Aug 12, 2011)

I can get a picture up this afternoon, it's not incredibly thick but definitely to thick to twist off.


----------



## manybirds (Aug 12, 2011)

redtailgal said:
			
		

> ick.
> 
> I've seen scurs on cattle before, sawing them off is a bloody mess. I would imagine it would be the same for goats.
> 
> I'd call in a vet for a look-see.


it would probably be easier to do it yourself. you spend a million dollar vet bill (they do pretty much the same thing i recomended the only differance is they have the drugs to nock them out and maybe dull the pain) and there's a chance it will grow back, when you could do the same thing for free.


----------



## redtailgal (Aug 12, 2011)

.


----------



## manybirds (Aug 12, 2011)

if it's not the really thick kind i would band it. just (with rounded metal file) file the first layer of horn away and put 2 castration bands in the groove (one in the groove on below it). put a new band on every 30 days until it falls off.


----------



## greenfamilyfarms (Aug 12, 2011)

manybirds said:
			
		

> if it's not the really thick kind i would band it. just (with rounded metal file) file the first layer of horn away and put 2 castration bands in the groove (one in the groove on below it). put a new band on every 30 days until it falls off.


That's what I was going to ask about. I have a buckling that has a scur that we have reburned, but it still came back. I think banding may be the next option.


----------



## rascal (Aug 12, 2011)

They might knock it off all by themselves... All 3 of my bucks have scurs and now and then one gets a bloody head. Its not major bleeding but just enough to coat the others with a red tinge. Freaks ya out the first time but they turn out fine.


----------



## Ariel301 (Aug 12, 2011)

Put him in something that restrains him well so he can't thrash his head around, and carefully cut it a little at a time. Hoof trimmers work pretty well if it's small, or rose bush trimmers. If you just take off the end, it may bleed a little, but won't put him in serious danger (unless we're talking a huge full-size horn).


----------



## Goatmasta (Aug 13, 2011)

If it were here I would saw it off with a bone saw (thin cable with handle on each end) then burn it with a disbudding iron.


----------



## RoseFell Farms (Aug 13, 2011)

Here it is.

It's not quite touching her head again, but if I don't catch it soon it will be.











I think I will try and clip it, I am seeing several options on here though and am somewhat unsure how to proceed.
Do the pics help? Is it clip-able?

Sorry about the image quality, my camera did not like the humidity and was fogging up.


----------



## RPC (Aug 13, 2011)

My buck has one that is doing the same thing only his is about 3 times wider then yours I started last week just clipping it back slowly so I don't hit where the blood is in the horn. My hoof trimmers would not cut mine so I used a pair of garden shears and it worked. But if you clip a little then wait a few days to a week and go back and clip a little  more it should help not to hurt her. It will take a while but that is what I am doing.


----------



## Goatmasta (Aug 14, 2011)

is it loose?  Can you wiggle it or is it solid?  If you can wiggle it, I would use a pair of pliers and twist it off.


----------



## RoseFell Farms (Aug 14, 2011)

It is a little loose, yes. But not like the usual ones, several of our other does have little scurs.
We did not do the disbudding.

We ended up filing it down about a half inch, it's not a solution, but we have a bit more time to figure out our next move.
I am considering going to the vet. *Shivers*


----------



## Goatmasta (Aug 14, 2011)

Pliers, it will come right off.  It might bleed a little but not a big deal.


----------



## greenfamilyfarms (Aug 14, 2011)

Goatmasta said:
			
		

> Pliers, it will come right off.  It might bleed a little but not a big deal.


If you pull off a scur, will it come back?


----------



## PattySh (Aug 14, 2011)

It will grow back, just pull it off again. MY buck has scurs and I usually bend them of by grabbing them with a hoof nipper and bending backwards. They pop right off, just a bit of blood. He's so used to it I can do it alone, just staddle him and viola (lol that's a picture huh!)


----------



## kstaven (Aug 14, 2011)

Grab and twist will do the job if it is loose. Things like this are far to common for my taste.


----------



## Goatmasta (Aug 15, 2011)

Once you twist it off just don't let it get so big, when it gets big enough to grab again, twist it off again.  It is much easier on you and the goat.


----------



## Emmetts Dairy (Aug 15, 2011)

I have scurs on my buck and I have to cut them about every two months. NOT FUN.  If you have a good vet who is familar with scurs and disbudding I would call them for help.  Scurring is not uncommon and NOT FUN to deal with! If he is young I would get it redone.   I would not try to twist and turn that off.  It is attached to his head and it will be very unpleasant for him. You want to control the cut so you dont snap that too low and expose his brain sinus. Also it will be very painful for them and could cause major issues with him.  I dont recomend that at all. IMO. 

I use a bone saw as described in a earlier post then cauterize with the iron.  They sell both bone saws and irons at farm supply stores and they work well.  Easier for you and the goat.  I would put him in a stanchion...and if you dont have one..make one or buy one, cuz you will be doing this for the rest of this goats life and its IMPORTANT you hold his head still when doing this.  DONT GO TO the base of it...look for where the horn looks dead...start cutting higher up to keep it from curling into his head..and you might be able to see where the blood supply is and you can go further if you find the blood supply. Whoever did your disbudding could help too...they maybe able to re-do if he's not too old or in the least show you how to deal with the scur.  I just had two boys get scurring and I took them to the vet and had them done under anesthesia.  Only cost $150 bucks for both.  They were twelve weeks and it can be very painful for them so I choose to do that.  Good money spent I tell ya.  But with my older buck...I put him in the stanchion with a face harness on and bone saw it as low as I can go without causing too much pain for him.  The animal will become very head shy and it will be hard to deal with this for his life if you cause him too much pain.

Good luck...Im sorry your dealing with this.  I hate scuring...but not uncommon in bucks...they can be tougher to disbud if not done right the first time around.  I had 3 boys with scurs...one I bought at a differant farm and the other two, one of my vets did cuz my husband was injured.  Everyone we did never got scurs!! Sooo frustrating...Believe me, I have reviewed every option for them..and this is what Ive always found to be the best way for both us and the goats.


----------



## manybirds (Aug 15, 2011)

Gerbil said:
			
		

> Here it is.
> 
> It's not quite touching her head again, but if I don't catch it soon it will be.
> 
> ...


o i think u can band that one or twist it


----------



## Emmetts Dairy (Aug 15, 2011)

Im sorry...I didnt realize she was a doe. Opps!  You can try to clip...but I have to say they are pretty hard.  I recomend a bone saw.  Definately put her in a stanchion or find a way to restrain her head from moving...important.  It looks kinda small...which is great.  But those horn cells are there. They were not destroyed during the disbudding and they are not going away..the scur will always grow back.  So its up to you to choose the safest and easiest way to deal with it on a reqular basis.


----------

