# Dehorning/disbudding older kids



## Ariel301 (Apr 30, 2010)

I have two wether kids that I am selling. I wasn't intending to sell them orginally, I usually raise the male kids up for meat, but I got a good offer on them and decided to go ahead since I'm in bad need of money. They were not disbudded, as they were not going to be around more than six months...but the buyer needs them without horns I think, as she is a novice goat owner and has small children. I feel uncomfortable selling her goats with horns. 

So, these boys are about five weeks old. Too big for the goat disbudder. I thought I would take the horns off by banding, but I can't seem to get that to work. The bands don't compress the horns at all and just pop off when the goat shakes its head. I don't think they are small enough. I saw a method that used a wire loop around the horn and also the band, but I can't get the wire on...when I try to hold their heads still for it they scream bloody murder and throw themselves all around until I am afraid of them getting hurt. They scream that much just over being restrained, I don't even touch them and they start! 

So...what to do? I can't afford to get a vet to dehorn them. And even if I could, it would cost more than I am selling the kids for. I have a friend who has a calf disbudder, would that work for already growing horns on kids this age? 

Here's a photo of the horns to be removed.


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## haviris (Apr 30, 2010)

I disbudder (of any kind) will not work at this point. I have banded at that age, the band needs to go under the horns, you should be able to feel the indent where the horn starts, that's where the band goes, and you'll probably have to put some tape to hold it on. It's alot easier to band bigger horns, but it can be done. You probably won't even be able to tell it's doing anything at first, but trust me they'll be able to tell! Don't touch the horns, they will be tender. That is the only option I know of at this point (don't know anything about the wire method), w/out taking them to be dehorned by a vet.


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## helmstead (Apr 30, 2010)

You really should not _dehorn_ a goat until it's 6 mos old.  At this point, they're horned until then and you should sell them as such.  And, yeah...the castrating bands take at least 30 days to work - you're not going to get instant results - and you're not applying them correctly if they're popping right off (not that I'm suggesting you try again).

A skilled disbudder can disbud a goat with horns that size, but it is not a task for a newbie.


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## Ariel301 (Apr 30, 2010)

I'm aware that banding isn't instant...I've done it before and have been successful that way. But the horns I've done that way before were bigger than this. The goats will not be going to their new home for a few weeks yet, so if I am going to band, I need to do it soon so they will be as healed up as possible when the goats leave here. 

My friend with the calf disbudder is very skilled at it...I'm not, since I do not use a disbudder on my own goats, I take them to her if I need it done, or leave them horned if they will be staying in my herd. Maybe I should have her take a look at them and see if she thinks she can do anything. If so, I think that doing it like that may be less stressful than trying to restrain them while I fumble around trying to get the bands to stay put. As soon as they feel a rope around their heads or someone tries to immobilize their heads, they begin screaming like they are dying, and that is very stressful while I'm trying to work on them!


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## Ariel301 (Apr 30, 2010)

Here's the website I am talking about that suggests wire to hold the bands in place. 
http://www.littlecudchewers.com/Dehorning Older Goats.htm


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## ksalvagno (May 1, 2010)

It does sound best to talk to your friend who does the disbudding.


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## Ariel301 (May 4, 2010)

Well, I managed to get the bands on them finally, after sending a couple dozen of them flying across the yard to who knows where. Hopefully it works! The poor kids look so silly with their horns all wrapped up in tape to keep everything in place.


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## cmjust0 (May 4, 2010)

I know I'm way late to this thread, but...were those horns wiggly by any chance?

Seems like when they're little, the horns are still kinda wiggly and not really attached to the skull yet..  If so, I'm pretty sure they can be cut/burned off without the big hole into the sinuses and all that jazz..

Just sayin..


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## helmstead (May 4, 2010)

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> I know I'm way late to this thread, but...were those horns wiggly by any chance?
> 
> Seems like when they're little, the horns are still kinda wiggly and not really attached to the skull yet..  If so, I'm pretty sure they can be cut/burned off without the big hole into the sinuses and all that jazz..
> 
> Just sayin..


LOL Apparently the question was asked without any real want for an answer...so....there ya go...


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