# Disbudding



## cteague (Feb 4, 2017)

Well lets just start out here.... I knew it wasnt going to be pleasant. But i didnt know they was gonna cry so much after. One of them is all we got done. The little girl was not long enough to fit in the box we ordered. He doesnt want me to catch him now. And he cries and he went and laid down. And cries more. Did we do something wrong? It was cooper. So i hope not.


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## Goat Whisperer (Feb 4, 2017)

Any pics? Swelling? How long did you leave the iron on the head? What burner was used? 

None of ours have done that. 
After 30 seconds they are running around acting like baby goats. 
We always give a "comfort" bottle (or let them nurse from their dam). They don't seem fazed by the burning at all. Obviously it hurts when it's actually happening, but they don't scream. Only time they cry is when we shave the nubs 
I stay with them for a while to make sure everything is okay, and the bottle babies literally run up and bounce off of me. 

Hoping your little one is okay 
Disbudding is rough, especially scary when it's your first time with no one to show you.


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## cteague (Feb 4, 2017)

He munched on a little hay. Then went and laid down. He tried to nurse but his mom wouldnt be still long enough. We did 7 seconds like the dehorner said. Wait a few minutes. Did the other side the same. Waited. Then did the second burn on each. I didnt think to take a picture. I will get one though. Hes doing the whole what what sound then yells. Then he laid down like he was sleepy. His sister laid with him. And he went to sleep.


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## cteague (Feb 4, 2017)

I hope we didnt kill him. We got the copper ring and stopped.


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## Goat Whisperer (Feb 4, 2017)

Do you have a vet that could give you some anti-inflammatory meds? Something like dex or banamine?


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## Goat Whisperer (Feb 4, 2017)

Did you ice the head?


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## samssimonsays (Feb 4, 2017)

Hugs. I hope all is ok with your little guy.


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## ragdollcatlady (Feb 4, 2017)

Some do get more stressed than others. 

If you can get an anti inflammatory, I would. I give banamine when I do our kids. Ice helps....at least I feel like it cools the head down faster. By ice, I mean a pack of frozen peas, held to the spot for a few seconds. 

Hope he is OK.


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## cteague (Feb 4, 2017)

I tried ice but he wouldnt have it. But i had a piece of ice.  Daniel has kept an eye on him today. I had to "sleep" (not very well) for work. He said he came out in the pen. And he wasnt laying down like he was. So i hope he will be better soon. I dont know what to do about the little girl. May take her to the vet or try and find someone to come and help. We tried putting her in the box but her body is to short to fit it. We put a towel in the bottom to try and get her closer to the opening but we couldnt close the lid. And if we had it would have strangled her. I wish some of u were closer.


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## OneFineAcre (Feb 4, 2017)

I just hold ours in my lap when we do ours
Maurine works the iron


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## ragdollcatlady (Feb 4, 2017)

I am in central California.... Are you anywhere near me?


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## ragdollcatlady (Feb 4, 2017)

I hold the kids between my legs, while standing, so their legs are dangling. They struggle less for  me that way.


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## Latestarter (Feb 4, 2017)

@ragdollcatlady They are located in East TN... I doubt a commute would work. @cteague  See above posts... the box is not a necessity...  Just move forward and do what needs to be done. They're wiggly, but you should be able to hold them just fine.   I have faith in you! The first time is the most difficult... by the time you've done it 2-3 times it will seem old hat.


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## cteague (Feb 4, 2017)

ragdollcatlady said:


> I am in central California.... Are you anywhere near me?


 Im in East TN. Thanks though


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## cteague (Feb 4, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> See above posts... the box is not a necessity...  Just move forward and do what needs to be done. They're wiggly, but you should be able to hold them just fine.   I have faith in you!


We will try.


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## Goat Whisperer (Feb 4, 2017)

We have a box, but like your girl not all fit.

I put a frozen gel pack on the head in between the burns. Some argue that it doesn't do much, but it at least makes me feel better.


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## OneFineAcre (Feb 4, 2017)

Goat Whisperer said:


> We have a box, but like your girl not all fit.
> 
> I put a frozen gel pack on the head in between the burns. Some argue that it doesn't do much, but it at least makes me feel better.



We do to


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 4, 2017)

Same here!  I 'thaw' the gel pack until it's smooshable and conforms to their head a bit....  I think it helps.


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## cteague (Feb 5, 2017)

Hard to keep him still. Hope its right. Hes acting better today.


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## cteague (Feb 5, 2017)

1 of the buds fell off i noticed


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## JerTheVintner (Feb 6, 2017)

I just did all three of my new born Nigerian Dwarf bucklings this morning. They are 5 days old, 3 days old, and 2 days old. Last season we waited over a week and that was too long and we had very minor scurs on one. 

This morning, I checked and all 3 had their nubs sticking up so I decided to just bite the bullet and do it today. It went pretty smoothly. Here is how I did it. I plugged in our Rhinehart 3/8" iron and let it get good and hot. I got towels, iodine, and a frozen gel pack. I used electric clippers to shave around the buds. Then I wrapped the first guy in a towel like a burrito so he couldn't move. Then, while I was sitting down, I held him in my lap with his body between my legs and his face pointing away from me and I wrapped my left hand around his face with my my fingers and thumb wrapped under his chin. With my right hand I grabbed the iron and applied it firmly for about 2-3 seconds around the nub rolling it slightly to enure good contact and then immediately applied the gel pack. Then I did the other side the same way. Then I went back and did the first side for another 2-3 seconds until I got a nice copper ring and held the gel pack on it again for a few seconds. I did the other side again until I got the copper ring and then I applied the gel pack again. Then I went back and used the side of the iron tip to burn out the center of the ring for about 2-3 seconds followed again by the gel pack. I repeated on the other side and again held the gel pack on. I then applied iodine to the area and as soon as this was done I unwrapped the little fellow and put him right on his dam's nipple and held him there until he poked and latched on and a few seconds of nursing later, he was fine. The most difficult part was actually shaving the area around the nub. Start to finish the entire process took less than a minute on each guy.

My new little doelings get a reprieve of a week or so until I can feel the nubs of their horns starting. Disbudding is not fun, but it is so much better than dealing with horns. For me I think the important thing is you can apply the iron more than once and still get the copper ring. On our little Nigerian Dwarf males, the trick was cooling it off with a gel pack in between and not doing it took long at one time. I never had the iron on them for more than 3 seconds at a time. It really isn't as bad as some make it out to be.  I always made sure the Dams were right there, not only so the little guy could nurse immediately afterwards, but also so the Dam could see that the little guy was returned in one piece and not much worse for wear.


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## Simpleterrier (Feb 6, 2017)

I don't diss bud I have had several done and it changes them I don't care for it they were created with horns so leave them with horns. You can mess it up bad I've seen goats that are not all there cause of diss buding even ones that walk with there heads side ways. I had a very nice nub that I got diss budded and she was never the same kind of brain dead. But I do believe the guy that did it was in a bad mood the say he did it.


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## samssimonsays (Feb 6, 2017)

Simpleterrier said:


> I don't diss bud I have had several done and it changes them I don't care for it they were created with horns so leave them with horns. You can mess it up bad I've seen goats that are not all there cause of diss buding even ones that walk with there heads side ways. I had a very nice nub that I got diss budded and she was never the same kind of brain dead. But I do believe the guy that did it was in a bad mood the say he did it.


We disbud for safety with small children around and ourselves with milking and being at ground zero with them as do most people. That is why many people do it aside from those who show and they can't have them then. I would be heart broken if anything happened due to it but in my herd it has to be done and that is something that I have accepted.


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 6, 2017)

@JerTheVintner  - sounds like you have good technique and that you did a great job!

@Simpleterrier -  You certainly have a right to your opinion and this topic has been one of much controversy but a lot of us have very good reasons why we disbud. I've been raising goats for around 25 years and I've probably disbudded close to 1000 kids.  No kidding, lol.  I had two neighbors that raised goats alongside me and I did all of theirs and all of mine plus a few more for folks and I've never noticed a personality difference unless it was in one who WASN'T disbudded. 

They are more aggressive with horns and like @samssimonsays it's a safety issue for most of us.  Not only for the safety of children and ourselves - but for the safety of the goat itself.  I've found goats hanging dead in a fence - it's not pretty.  I used to show with some folks who left their goats horned.  You can show a pygmy with horns.  Judges don't like it, but it's not discriminated against.  They came to the barn one morning and found their 3x Grand Champion with his horns stuck in a hay rack and his neck broken.  In fact, I know of several instances where the horns in the hay rack turned deadly.  I've also seen goats attacked by predators and their horns didn't do them any good at all against a determined dog/coyote/bobcat... 

Disbudding is my least favorite goat chore - but it's one I do because in my circumstances I find it necessary.


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## cteague (Feb 6, 2017)

We decided to take them to the vet. They have an appointment Monday. That way we dont mess up. Just wish we would have done it that way in the beginning. My little guy is acting ok now. He was jumping and playing. U live and learn.


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## OneFineAcre (Feb 6, 2017)

cteague said:


> We decided to take them to the vet. They have an appointment Monday. That way we dont mess up. Just wish we would have done it that way in the beginning. My little guy is acting ok now. He was jumping and playing. U live and learn.



Vets mess it up too
Disbudding is not an exact science 
I've had scurs on goats done by a vet
And one emergency vet school visit by one done by a vet 
Not meaning  to scare you


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 6, 2017)

According to my best friend/veterinarian they don't teach disbudding at the vet school in Texas.  Course, she graduated a few years back so maybe they've changed protocol since then.... 

She did eventually learn to disbud - but she learned from someone who was not a vet school instructor...she learned from someone who had more than a decade of experience at that time.  She learned from ME!


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## OneFineAcre (Feb 6, 2017)

JerTheVintner said:


> I just did all three of my new born Nigerian Dwarf bucklings this morning. They are 5 days old, 3 days old, and 2 days old. Last season we waited over a week and that was too long and we had very minor scurs on one.
> 
> This morning, I checked and all 3 had their nubs sticking up so I decided to just bite the bullet and do it today. It went pretty smoothly. Here is how I did it. I plugged in our Rhinehart 3/8" iron and let it get good and hot. I got towels, iodine, and a frozen gel pack. I used electric clippers to shave around the buds. Then I wrapped the first guy in a towel like a burrito so he couldn't move. Then, while I was sitting down, I held him in my lap with his body between my legs and his face pointing away from me and I wrapped my left hand around his face with my my fingers and thumb wrapped under his chin. With my right hand I grabbed the iron and applied it firmly for about 2-3 seconds around the nub rolling it slightly to enure good contact and then immediately applied the gel pack. Then I did the other side the same way. Then I went back and did the first side for another 2-3 seconds until I got a nice copper ring and held the gel pack on it again for a few seconds. I did the other side again until I got the copper ring and then I applied the gel pack again. Then I went back and used the side of the iron tip to burn out the center of the ring for about 2-3 seconds followed again by the gel pack. I repeated on the other side and again held the gel pack on. I then applied iodine to the area and as soon as this was done I unwrapped the little fellow and put him right on his dam's nipple and held him there until he poked and latched on and a few seconds of nursing later, he was fine. The most difficult part was actually shaving the area around the nub. Start to finish the entire process took less than a minute on each guy.
> 
> My new little doelings get a reprieve of a week or so until I can feel the nubs of their horns starting. Disbudding is not fun, but it is so much better than dealing with horns. For me I think the important thing is you can apply the iron more than once and still get the copper ring. On our little Nigerian Dwarf males, the trick was cooling it off with a gel pack in between and not doing it took long at one time. I never had the iron on them for more than 3 seconds at a time. It really isn't as bad as some make it out to be.  I always made sure the Dams were right there, not only so the little guy could nurse immediately afterwards, but also so the Dam could see that the little guy was returned in one piece and not much worse for wear.


Nothing like how I do mine 
I don't do any that early
And I burn mine mine 3 times longer
Surprised you haven't had more of an issue with scurs on bucks


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## frustratedearthmother (Feb 6, 2017)

I have never done any at 2 days...with the pygmy goats it was usually by 10 days. I don't use iodine either.  And, honestly I couldn't tell you how many seconds I hold the iron on their heads.  I shave their head.  I do an initial burn on one side - then do it on the other side - then use the gel pack.  Then I do it all again until I get that copper ring.  I do knock off the horn bud.  I sometimes use the gel pack first too.  I think it buys a couple second of numb-ness before the burn. 

I have noticed that with the bigger goats, the Nubians and Kinders - they seem to need to be done earlier - especially the bucks.  I've done them at 5 days.  I don't like it - but their horns grow so fast!


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## babsbag (Feb 6, 2017)

I have had my vet do them but only when they are too big to be burned by any of my friends. She cuts off the nub and then burns and ices but she knocks them out cold when she does it and uses a pain killer. But again, these are goats that should have been burned a few weeks earlier. 

I just did some the other day and I burned for probably 5 seconds 2 times for a total of 10. I did some last year that cried and cried after I was done and my mentor told me that I didn't burn them long enough to kill all the nerve endings. This time I went longer and harder and no crying after the fact.


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## OneFineAcre (Feb 6, 2017)

We burn both sides 6 seconds
Then do the ice pack
Then we take hoof trimming shears and cut the nub flush 
Then we burn the center of nub which might bleed some with the side of the tip for 6 seconds
Then we ice pack
Then we do a second burn for 6 seconds
And we use a buck tip on our bucks which is bigger than the 3/8 tip

I know people that use the 3/8 tip
On bucks but do a figure 8


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## Goat Whisperer (Feb 6, 2017)

Simpleterrier said:


> I don't diss bud I have had several done and it changes them I don't care for it they were created with horns so leave them with horns. You can mess it up bad I've seen goats that are not all there cause of diss buding even ones that walk with there heads side ways. I had a very nice nub that I got diss budded and she was never the same kind of brain dead. But I do believe the guy that did it was in a bad mood the say he did it.


Many factors are involved. 

I see so many use the same line you said. The reality is that when you narrow down all the factors, it's not what anti-disbudding people want to hear. 

I've seen many times where people say the goat was never "right" after disbudding. 

But they don't look at the whole picture. 

I've seen people use a *full size calf dehorner on a Pygmy kid! *This happens more often than you think! 
I truthfully wouldn't expect a goat to come out "normal" after that. 

People who burn at a day old and leave the burner on to long. 

Vets gouging and burning- I'm not talking about snipping off the nubs, I'm talking actual gouging. 

Then there are those that sedate. Sedation can cause this issue too. We've disbudded many kids, we used to sedate until one year the kids weren't coming out of sedation as they should. Happened to 2 kids. 
Stopped the sedation and have had 0 issues. 

We used to have a horned herd. Not anymore. I've had a goose get it's throat torn open. I've been jabbed more times than I can count. Not on purpose, all accidental. I've had goats hung in trees. I've had goats hung in fences, hay feeders, and even each other. Yes, even when having the "horn safe" feeders, fencing, etc. It still happened. @Ferguson K had a goat gored recently. 

Recently, I almost lost 2 bucks that locked horns badly. It was a miracle that I could even get them apart. If they break a horn, you better be able to rush them to a vet before you end up with a dead goat. 

We had a goat that was just a diva. She would use her horns on every animal on the farm. Everything was in fear because of this one goat. She was surgically dehorned. 

There is always a risk, but you have the same risks, if not more, when you leave the horns intact. I'm not going to lie, it can be scary! But I'm doing this for MY safety as well as the goats/LGD's/etc 

I don't want this to be a debate, but don't you have fences for your goats? I remember you posting photos of your kidding stall… Goats were not created behind fences, man put them in fences. Just like we disbud. Goats were taken out of their natural environment, so I don't see why disbudding would be any different. 

Everyone needs to do what is best for them and their herd. If you keep a horned herd with no issues, that's awesome. But for people like me, disbudding is a necessity.


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## Southern by choice (Feb 6, 2017)

This is an example of a goat that decided to sharpen her horns til they were like daggers... then she got aggressive with the other animals... Yes, that is a point, like a dagger.
She was dehorned. DANGEROUS... for her, the animals, and the humans.

I held to the "goats have had horns for thousands of years" for a time. In some scenarios I think horns are fine but for many they are simply a liability. 
We switched over a few years back. We have had requests for horns but I simply will no longer do it. Far to many parents with toddlers and small children especially like Nigerians and in their lack of experience they just don't know the risk. So far everyone we show the horns (in the pic) to and they touch them, see and feel how sharp... EVERYONE has said that it changed their mind and definately wanted polled or disbudded.
We do keep our Kikos horned but that still isn't without it's many issues. The dairy goats... nope... no horns.

Until you have been gored, taken down, or known someone who has had an eye poked out or their leg gored it is hard to grasp.
When we were a horned herd my vets ALL said GET THE HORNS OFF!  The one would shake his head and say, "I don't want to have to say I told you so when a horn goes through your leg, or an eye!"   
The goat that belongs to the horn in the picture... she is a much nicer goat and no longer a danger. 
Our herd queen however is a POLLED Nigerian Dwarf!  LOL


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## Southern by choice (Feb 6, 2017)

oops... forgot to add.
We have found every goat is a little different.
Some goats are born with the horn about to poke through. We will not disbud any goat regardless until at least day 3.
Most goats are at about a week. Some of our Nigerian does have gone as long as 3 weeks.
A small quint Nigie at 1 lb 10 oz... may not need done for 5 weeks! Where a 4-5 lb dwarf may be ready before a week or not til 2 weeks.
Our standard goats seem to need done the soonest. Bucks are a nightmare LOL.
We always use ice packs, and do not have a set time. but we do break it up. L, ice, R ice, L, ice, R, ice sometimes it is LR, ice LR ice. We always shave first and we do spray burn relief after. Then they get a bottle! 
Regardless of who does it things can go wrong. Something to always keep in mind- If YOU are NOT the one doing it and you are asking someone else to then remember this...
NO ONE wants for something to go wrong and the person burning is far more worried about YOUR goat then you will be!


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## Ferguson K (Feb 7, 2017)

If I wasn't home when Damsel was gored, I would have lost her.  She lost scary amount of blood in a short time.  All horned goats are now gone.  

We used to have horned goats. Boer goats.  Lots of them.  I'll never have another goat with horns.


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## OneFineAcre (Feb 7, 2017)

This is what the figure 8 looks like.
He still had a small scur.


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## Sunny Searle (Feb 7, 2017)

My Nubian Boer crosses that were born five days ago are still showing no signs of horns, their dam is naturally polled but the sire has horns. How long before they get horns, or is it not going to happen?


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## Latestarter (Feb 7, 2017)

If they're going to have horns, I'd think they'd start growing out nubs within the first few days to a week. Perhaps you got lucky and have polled kids   just keep checking.


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## babsbag (Feb 7, 2017)

I would think you would feel them by now. On my standard sized goat I can usually feel them at 2 or 3 days. I also have some polled goats I occasionally get polled kids, so maybe you are lucky.


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## Latestarter (Feb 7, 2017)

OneFineAcre said:


> This is what the figure 8 looks like.
> He still had a small scur.


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?


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## OneFineAcre (Feb 7, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> 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


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## OneFineAcre (Feb 7, 2017)

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


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## babsbag (Feb 7, 2017)

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.


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## ragdollcatlady (Feb 8, 2017)

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.


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## cteague (Feb 12, 2017)

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!


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## Latestarter (Feb 12, 2017)

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


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## Goat Whisperer (Feb 12, 2017)

Goat Whisperer said:


> 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?





cteague said:


> 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


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## cteague (Feb 13, 2017)

Goat Whisperer said:


> @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.


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## cteague (Feb 13, 2017)

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.


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## ragdollcatlady (Feb 13, 2017)

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.


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## babsbag (Feb 14, 2017)

I had a bleeder too but fortunately it stopped when I reburned it. It took me a bit to find the right spot to burn and I had to call a friend for emotional back-up. I thought for sure the kid was going to bleed to death before I could stop it.


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## cteague (Feb 14, 2017)

Im sorry i didnt make myself clear. I had been up 18 hrs when i made this post. The bleeder was from one of the bucks. The were cut. And him just standing he puddled 3 to 4 times. The vet had to work on him to stop it. He had a rough day.


ragdollcatlady said:


> 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.[/QUO


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## Latestarter (Feb 14, 2017)

The blood was from the castration, not the disbudding...


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## ragdollcatlady (Feb 14, 2017)

Latestarter said:


> The blood was from the castration, not the disbudding...



Got it!


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## cteague (Feb 14, 2017)

Yes. She said the artery was fine when she took him back in. She was shocked also how bad he was bleeding. 4 times she had to stop it.


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## babsbag (Feb 14, 2017)

Poor guy. I band mine and usually don't do them until at least 8 weeks, sometimes later. Some people don't like the banding and cut them, or have them cut, but I have never had a problem with the banding. It is certainly easy on us and something you can learn to do at home for future. You can learn to cut too if you have a teacher and the stomach for it...I don't have either.


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## OneFineAcre (Feb 14, 2017)

babsbag said:


> Poor guy. I band mine and usually don't do them until at least 8 weeks, sometimes later. Some people don't like the banding and cut them, or have them cut, but I have never had a problem with the banding. It is certainly easy on us and something you can learn to do at home for future. You can learn to cut too if you have a teacher and the stomach for it...I don't have either.



x2


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## goatgurl (Feb 14, 2017)

me 3.  I band all my boys.  have never had a problem with any of them.  I know that banding or cutting are personal choices, the banding is easiest for me.  they go from ohhh nuts to numb nuts to no nuts easily.  I make sure everyone is up to date on their cdt so they have the tetanus protection.  disbudding is the most unpleasant part of goat keeping thru the year, hate it but do it for safety's sake.  I have full sized goats and use a disbudding box to hold them.  I guess you could make a smaller box for nigies too.


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## Goat Whisperer (Feb 14, 2017)

I'm curious as to how your vet cuts them. 
I cut my bucklings and never had an issue. 

After it's done they walk off, doesn't seem to bother them much. During the warm months, I might spray a little fly spray on them out of precaution. 

For those that get grossed out by cutting- it really isn't that bad. Very fast, no time to get grossed out


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## dejavoodoo114 (Feb 18, 2017)

I wish I would have seen this thread earlier. I am also in East TN. I just had the misfortune to disbud 3 kids with a 1" iron today. Made me nervous (...very very nervous) but turned out fine. It just looks worse. I have spent the last 2 hours looking at disbudding irons. I was thinking of the Rhinehart X30. I have Nubians and previously was thinking the 3/8". After today I am leaning towards the .55". This will give me some leeway and if I can do it with 1" I think I can manage any kid with the .55". What are your guys' experience? It is time I bought my own iron.


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## cteague (Feb 22, 2017)

Goat Whisperer said:


> I'm curious as to how your vet cuts them.
> I cut my bucklings and never had an issue.
> 
> After it's done they walk off, doesn't seem to bother them much. During the warm months, I might spray a little fly spray on them out of precaution.
> ...


She put them on the table cut the bottom of the scrotum off. The little guys come out and she pulled them till they released. One did fine. Didnt bleed at all. Chip on the other hand was different.


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