So many things to consider. Having just lost a fine buck to complications of anesthesia while being de-horned, I will never again have a goat that hasn't been disbudded when a baby. I don't do it myself, but take them to a friend who is excellent at it. I know it hurts them, how could it not, but it's over very quickly and they are fine. It's an individual decision for sure.
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Horns? Dis-bud? Polled?
- Thread starter Southern by choice
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goatgurl
Herd Master
having had the horn of a 4 month old kid pierce my hand and go thru the web of my hand between my thumb and fore finger you can bet i how dehorn every baby that hits the ground here. that could have been my daughters eye. after seeing (and feeling) that i know how fast it can happen. does it hurt the kid, yes in my opinion it does but they get over it quickly and go on like nothing ever happened. this is an individual choice but i'll keep dehorning just for safety.
frustratedearthmother
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I'm just going to throw this out there to see if anyone has had the same experience that I've had. I've been disbudding goats for a few decades now and have been the recipient of several burns....
The times where I've just slipped and had a light surface burn it hurts like crazy! But, the two times that I've had severe burns...and I'm talking full skin thickness, all the way through the skin and down to the meat on the web of my hand I've gotta say that it did NOT hurt!
I don't know if a burn that deep kills the nerve ending or what? But, no pain when it happened and no after pain. Several weeks later when the scab started to detach it was certainly tender - but other than that I was quite amazed...
Was I just lucky?
The times where I've just slipped and had a light surface burn it hurts like crazy! But, the two times that I've had severe burns...and I'm talking full skin thickness, all the way through the skin and down to the meat on the web of my hand I've gotta say that it did NOT hurt!
I don't know if a burn that deep kills the nerve ending or what? But, no pain when it happened and no after pain. Several weeks later when the scab started to detach it was certainly tender - but other than that I was quite amazed...
Was I just lucky?
Pearce Pastures
Barn Babe
I know what you mean there. I don't know why but when I get a little burn on my hand from say cooking (spattering grease or touching something hot), that hurts like crazy! But when I have burned myself more seriously, the pain was different, more tolerable. Dunno why.
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Southern by choice
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I think it is also a hard one. I am so sorry for your loss.
When we had Millie de-horned she was sedated but the sedation was only to the point of her being super groggy , there was still resistance. I asked the vet why? wouldn't it be better to be knocked out? The answer was no, that the resistance was needed and helpful with the dehorning and I can tell you because I assisted in the procedure there was plenty of resistance. The nerve block at the brow was given to help with the reduction of feeling. She was very loopy though. Dis-budding is also a risk. Vets have lost kids during a "routine" disbudding, as well as breeders... it has an impact because then they tend to go lighter on their burns... those animals end up with horrible scurs... just to end up being redone or worse an actual de-horning. Sometimes even people who have burned many times can still end up with kids head's swelling.
I still like horns but the dairy goats... nah... not worth it.
We run the risk everytime we disbud because we do have sedation. Only 1 time have we had a kid that took a LONG time to wake up. Our vet was very upset about it I personally was not.
@frustratedearthmother & @Pearce Pastures that is very interesting... I have not had the same experience but I do have a burn scar on my wrist that I got 23 years ago it was 3rd degree and to this day it still bothers me with the change of weather... in my case I did feel it .
Sweet Sue
Ridin' The Range
I totally agree goatgurl! My Doe just did miss my husbands face a couple of times. She acts like "a kid on steroids" and I wouldn't'tt let my grand get anywhere near them.
OneFineAcre
Herd Master
@Southern by choice
When we spoke last week, I told you I would get you a picture of the figure 8 burn Fortunato had when we got him from Ohio. Took me a while to find the picture.
Figured I might as well post.
Needless to say, he has no scurs.
When we spoke last week, I told you I would get you a picture of the figure 8 burn Fortunato had when we got him from Ohio. Took me a while to find the picture.
Figured I might as well post.
Needless to say, he has no scurs.
Hens and Roos
Herd Master
So why the figure 8? Is this done on the boys?
OneFineAcre
Herd Master
Yes, there horn base is bigger. That's why the issue with scurs.
