# banding horns



## annanicole18 (Jun 3, 2009)

my doelings horns are now about an inch long and i have been told that i can band them since she is too far along to disbud. i do not know anyone in the area with goats and since she is my first goat i do not know how to band the horns.  how long do the horns need to be before i can band?  i googled banding and was shocked to see some photos of people cutting the base of the horns then putting the band on.  is that really how you do it or do you just put the band on?  i was told you use a Elastrator but how far down do you have to get it?  how long will it take for the horns to come off?   is it less painful to band than disbud?  i have a pygmy doeling that will need to be done also .  are their different kinds of elastrators? caprine supply has one that looks simple to use.
thanks for any help  i'm just full of questions since these are my first goats


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## bheila (Jun 3, 2009)

*cups hands and yells* Kate, where are you? Anna needs your help!


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## helmstead (Jun 3, 2009)

Because I do not feel this is something I should post a "how-to" about on a public forum...Anna, please email me and I'll help however I can.  I do have a how to posted on a private forum, and can direct you to that group or help you via email.


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## Farrier! (Jun 3, 2009)

Do you really need to remove her horns?

I see nothing wrong with debudding but anything attempted after that does not always work well. Spurs are horrible to deal with.

We have a mix of horns and no horns.


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## bheila (Jun 3, 2009)

Roosters have Spurs, goats have Scurs


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## annanicole18 (Jun 3, 2009)

yes i do need to remove her horns since she is going to be my dairy goat as a safety precaution for my dogs and for my neice and nephew who live next door.  i would leave them if i could but too much risk involved


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## Farrier! (Jun 3, 2009)

I am just never sure where the idea of horns=bad comes from... 
If you have never had goats then how can you conclude they are that bad? Are the youngsters just toddlers?
If they are still pretty little horns or no horns the goats will try to dominate them and knock them down.... 

At the age your goats are you might want a vet who had experience dehorning do them. There is a major blood vessel in there now. Even with banding the horn that vessel will bleed.  A vet can cut and cauterize right away. 

Also if the children are old enough they need to be around the goats now to be sure they stay above them in the pecking order.

The only goats we have had problems with with children are some we bought full grown. The ones we raised were drug around and enjoyed by little people and never used their horns on a child.


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## bheila (Jun 3, 2009)

It's all personal preference.  Let us know how it goes


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## helmstead (Jun 3, 2009)

Yup, I don't think the OP intended to start a horns/no horns debate here.


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## haviris (Jun 3, 2009)

There was a pretty good site I knew of at one time, but can't find it now, here is another though you can look at.

http://www.barnonemeatgoats.com/bandinghorns.html

When I did it I didn't make the incision, although I think it's generally recommended, it helps hold the band in place. I also didn't use anything to deaden it. 

I have done it one goats 4 years and down (and none have gotten scurs, all my scurs are disbudding jobs). I shave the area, and you have to get the band below the base of the horn! You can feel it after you shave it and then after the band is on I wrap it in duck tape. 

They will get tender, you don't want to touch them at all until they come off. If they come off when they are ready there is no bleeding, occationally they will knock one off early and it will bleed, so be prepared for that. With her's being small they should fall off fairly quickly compared to the larger ones.

Hope that helps!


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## taraann81 (Jun 3, 2009)

Thanks for starting this post annanicole 18.  This is something I am also considering.  Did you find out what length the horns have to be before you band them?  Also besides the possibility of scurs, is this permanent?
Thanks, I didn't mean to hijack your thread just gather information as well.
Tara


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## annanicole18 (Jun 3, 2009)

taraann81 said:
			
		

> Thanks for starting this post annanicole 18.  This is something I am also considering.  Did you find out what length the horns have to be before you band them?  Also besides the possibility of scurs, is this permanent?
> Thanks, I didn't mean to hijack your thread just gather information as well.
> Tara


its all good i'm wondering about the possibility of scurs especially if they knock the horn off early


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## taraann81 (Jun 3, 2009)

I don't think scurs are a big deal, I bet you could just band them again!


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## helmstead (Jun 3, 2009)

Yes, they can regrow scurs, which you can keep filed down with a rasp.  So far mine have not grown anything over 1/2 inch tall - which I don't even bother with as they knock them off rubbing on fences.


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## haviris (Jun 4, 2009)

If you get the band where it needs to be you shouldn't end up with scurs, I'm no expert, but so far no scurs for me from banding. I do have some scurs from disbudding. Not saying I'd prefer banding, I'd much rather debud, but sometimes you end up w/ one and banding is the best choice. And I also band scurs, have two right now I'm hoping to do, scurs are harder because of their odd shapes.

As for how long they have to be, they just need to be long enough to hold the bands!


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## FlightsofFancy (Jun 6, 2009)

I 2nd the above! I have banded 2 goats with horns so far. NO BIG DEAL! No scurs.
I would wait until this fall so you don't have to fret with flies. The goats usually don't like you near their head after they are banded and putting fly spray or swat on them seems impossible. 
**I also use Gentimiacine spray (get it from a VET for dogs hot spots) to keep them dry and infection free.
Good luck!


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## taraann81 (Jun 6, 2009)

I have heard that sometimes when you band horns, you can end up with a hole in the goats head.  It was a thread on BYC.  Anyways is this a common problem?  Is there a way to avoid it and what do you do if it does happen.
Thanks
Tara


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## currycomb (Jul 7, 2009)

had a pygmy wether that broke a horn off at the skull, leaving a gapeing hole, panicked, ran him to vet. said to just keep hay chafe out of the hole and it would close up, and it did. we did take the other horn off just to even him up.


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