# Doing our first solo disbudding in a few...toss me some confidence!



## GrowURown (Apr 29, 2011)

Wife's feeding the horses right now (and everything else)... I fed the people kids...

Finally...no thanks to the Easter holiday and some MAJOR issues with fedex...MAJOR issues with fed ex I said...I could got it here faster ON a GOAT...our Rhinehart X-30 disbudding iron has arrived and it's first use IS IMMINENT!(assuming it even works at this point - thanks again FedUP delivery driver)

Keep we mind we only watched last time...here's what we have one hand just in case...we have blood stop powder, wonder dust, bluekote spray and blue lotion (the one that is liquid and not really a lotion...childrens ibuprofen and childrens tylenol, one disbudding iron, my beard trimmers, a chunk of plain old wood (not PT wood)....what am I missing?

The plan...shave head, heat iron, burn until we get a copper ring...blow to cool...apply blukote...give him back to his mama...maybe some childs ibuprofen for the goat to make him and me feel better about it...and a brew for me to make me feel EXTRA BETTER...

Blood stop powder...just in case...put that on if it bleeds right?  Last time they did bleed...so this time we are on the ready....

What am I missing here? Confidence...missing that part...what else? Throw in your 2 cents - or more, I could use about a quarters worth right now...I'm nervous again...I don't like being nervous...


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## GrowURown (Apr 29, 2011)

i just realized...i am so nervous...i put this in the wrong spot...go me...


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## DonnaBelle (Apr 29, 2011)

I count the seconds the iron is on the head. We do six seconds, no more.  Yes, you can see the copper ring, what you don't want to see is white bone showing through.

This year our Dora had two kids.  One was a male, and we disbudded him at 6 days of age.  The buds were out to where you could feel and see them.  We didn't do his sister until a week later.  She didn't have any buds at birth, we kept feeling for them until she was about 12 days old.  They were out then and we could see and feel them.  You want to do a good job shaving the hair off so you can see the nubs.

We did our first 3 last year with the Rhinehart.  We did have some small scurs develop, but we have kept them trimmed off.  We got a pair of scur clippers from Hoeggers and have used them to nip off scurs before they get too big.

Remember to let the Rhinehart heat up for at least 10 minutes.  Also after you use it on the first bud, let it heat up again before you do the next one.

DH built a disbudding box this winter.  It has helped us a lot.  The goat baby fits right in it.  I put some padding around the head holder part.  I also ordered the part the head sits on from Hoegger's.  They sell the kidding box, but DH said he would build one, gave him something to do this winter. LOL

Good luck, I'll be thinking about you... fingers crossed.

DonnaBelle

Good luck, I know how you feel.


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## julieq (Apr 29, 2011)

Wear a set of ear plugs or some hearing protection.  You'll be fine and the kids will be fine.  First time is the worst.


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## TigerLilly (Apr 29, 2011)

Wear nose plugs as well...ugh, can't stand the smell! But it could just be me; I have a very sensitive nose.
Congrats on getting the tool & I wish you the best in doing it. I'm not one that can.


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## Our7Wonders (Apr 29, 2011)

If you shave their head it really isn't that bad of a smell - I don't really remember seeing much at all for smoke.  They do scream - something awful - but it wasn't as bad as I thought it was going to be.  I did my first disbudding this year too and all in all it wasn't too traumatizing.  I did pretty good really - until I hit white on our little doeling on the second burn.  That kinda freaked me out.  And she did bleed, but we just kept pressure on it for a few seconds and was fine.  It's been a few weeks now and she seems to be healing nicely.  It's too early for me to know how well I did for the long haul, but we did it.  The first one is the hardest.  It'll never be FUN, but I expect it'll get a little easier each time.

You'll do fine.


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## GrowURown (Apr 29, 2011)

First we shaved....







Then we did it...here's the results...

camera one:






camera two:






in stereo:






Sprayed some of the blue stuff on it...got a little in his eye and THAT seemed to make him the maddest (don't blame him, but he REALLY should have stood still!)...then we put him back with his mama and he immediately took to scratching at them WHILE he tried to nurse...little fatty didn't know if he wanted to itch or eat...so he MUST be okay...

I can do this again if need be...it's really not that bad...hope it worked this time though...guess we shall see...


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## redtailgal (Apr 29, 2011)

.............


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## Our7Wonders (Apr 29, 2011)

Hmmm.    I'm thinkin' I'll take the disbudding over the sheath scrubbin' - but that's just me.


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## GrowURown (Apr 29, 2011)

LOL...we have to do BOTH here...though I usually get out of sheath cleaning by reminding wife just who has smaller hands...I'll stick with being the iron holder if she holds the goat and the sponge holder while she picks the beanies from the weanies!


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## Roll farms (Apr 29, 2011)

You horse people are just icky....*prissy face*

(This coming from a person who cut off a goat's pizzle...so please know I'm only razzing you...)

It looks like you did a bang up job.  Just keep an eye on it and reburn if needed (in a few weeks!).


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## GrowURown (Apr 29, 2011)

Oh NO...I think I MAY have to draw the line at reburning...how would one be able to tell it's needed exactly? Any pics somewhere to show examples?

Just came in from checking on the little terd...he has already flat knocked the nubby-burnt part off of it!  Is that good? Bad?  I sure don't know!  It was a little oozy looking...woke up a kid to ask what color...answer was bright red...so I went ahead and put the blood stop powder on it...I dunno...ifhe doesn't go blind getting medicine in his eyes at some point he just might be okay I suppose...

See...I had the confidence part all along...until he got to scratching and picking...now I have lost it again...


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## Our7Wonders (Apr 30, 2011)

some people actually scrape that little nubby thing off after burning so I'm sure it's fine that he rubbed it off.


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## GrowURown (Apr 30, 2011)

That just adds a layer of gruesome even a welder cannot handle...and I myself have either SEEN or HAD some NASTY burns at/from work!  I COULD NOT imagine picking off a burned chunk...this little goat must have cajones de STEEL (or however it's spelled...you get the idea)  to pick at something like that!  Bless his little heart....


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## Roll farms (Apr 30, 2011)

I actually started to say this in my 1st reply but didn't wanna freak you out / seem nit picky....but I usually flip that little nub off and do a quick touch w/ the disbudder again to cauterize / seal it.  

That way, if they get to digging at it, there's nothing to bleed unless they REALLY bang around...usually they're too sore for too much nonsense.

Overall, though...ya did good.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Apr 30, 2011)

I pop it off too.


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## Emmetts Dairy (Apr 30, 2011)

Sometimes you have to reburn. Especially with the bucks.  And its important cuz you Dont want scurs.  They are a real pain.  I have a buck that we bought and he was not burned well at all...and now every month or so we have to cut his scur down cuz one of them curls into his head.  Not good...and I highly recomend reburning if necessary.  Important for them too! 

Looks like you did a great job!! Never fun...but needed in the herd!! IMO


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