I have to agree with sheepgirl. Sometimes you don't have time for gloves. I also have a better time gripping a foot barehanded than with gloves. For me it is about getting the baby and the momma to a stable situation. I can wash up with antibactiral soap afterwards.
Sorry to hear you had such a bad experience with the disbudding. We have not lost any to disbudding since we started doing it. Prior to starting we several dehorned and I swore I would never let it get that bad again. I typically clip the hair around the bud and apply the iron to each horn for 6...
My wife and I raise Boer and Nubian goats, Paint Horses, Chickens, and have just gotten a start, with our sons help, in Meat Rabbits. We live on a small farm in Southeast Texas.