Please tell me everything about disbudding with paste!

[s.z.ichigo]

Two of my ND boys' nubs are getting pointy, and I haven't found anyone out here to disbud them! They are almost 2 weeks old now. I really wanted to go the hot iron route, but I can't afford the tool myself right now and I haven't found anyone who does it.
So my husband is bringing home the paste tonight. I've read everything I could find on the subject, but I am super scared to do it myself. These are my first babies and I really really don't want to screw this up and injure them. There are so many sites that warn against its use, and go into gory detail about what exactly will go wrong if you even think about trying it.

Here's what I've gathered so far...

First, clip the hair around the horn buds. I don't know how I'll do this, as the clippers I have are fairly loud. Won't that scare them?

Then I rub vaseline around the area, so it won't drip into the face. I also think I read that you can make a template out of duct tape. Not sure which is better?

Then I put a dollop of the paste on the buds, and in a 1/8" circle around them. I was thinking this would be easier to do if I put the stuff in a syringe rather than using a stick to apply it. would that work?

Then I clap a duct tape bandage over the area. This is where I'm not sure what to do. I've seen that you can leave it on and I've seen that you have to wash the paste away with vinegar and then water.
I'm thinking that if I leave it on, their moms will want to pick the tape off. They are all VERY mouthy. I'm also worried about leaving such a harsh substance on their heads without doing anything to neutralize it., But I REALLY don't want to accidentally wash it into their eyes, as I can't imagine how hard it will be to hold a wiggly little boy still enough to wash the top of his head so carefully.

I haven't found much info on the recovery process. How long it takes, what it should look like, and what to watch out for. Also, what is the procedure if it does get in an eye or a mouth??

I hope to do this tomorrow. I'd really appreciate the advice of an experienced paste-user. Thanks so much!

 

[Squirrelgirl88]

Everything I've read suggests the paste is a really bad idea. Too many ways it can get into their eyes and on the skin in other places. You may want to rethink the paste and look into another method.

 

[TGreenhut]

Everything I've read suggests the paste is a really bad idea. Too many ways it can get into their eyes and on the skin in other places. You may want to rethink the paste and look into another method.

x2

 

[s.z.ichigo]

I agree. If I could, I would. The only person I've found around here who disbuds with an iron is about an hour away and charges much more than I can afford. I've seen enough people say that they use the paste with no problems to know that it CAN be done, so I've just gotta go with it armed with as much info as I can.

I've done the first boy...I have to say it was awful. I tried the duct tape helmet, and in his thrashing the stuff just smeared EVERYWHERE. Didn't get in his eyes, fortunately, but it was a huge mess. I had to remove the whole assembly, wash him, and try again. The second go was better. I made a little cap out of pill bottle tops and held that on with the duct tape. He still thrashed around and cried, but this time the paste was contained and, I hope, did its job.

The second boy I just completed. This time instead of wrapping him in a towel, I cut the sleeve off an old sweatshirt and put him in like a sleeping bag. This worked much better. But I think I put too little paste on him. He went straight to sleep. When I took the thing off, I saw there was only a tiny spot on the tip of each bud. I think the rest got onto the bottle cap. So I redid him and didn't use the cap or duct tape at all. I just held him in his sleeve-bag. This time he DID thrash around and cry as much as his brother had. I held him the entire 20 minutes while he cried and panted and generally freaked out. Not fun.

After washing he calmed down, and is now exploring the kitchen and having a great time. The first one if back in the barn with mom. Neither one of them seem to remember anything after the stuff's been washed off, but it's a VERY hard 20 minutes.

I still don't know what exactly I should look for to know whether or not it worked, or how long it will be before I know for sure. I'm on the fence about what to do with the other three. Their horns aren't quite as developed, so I may have time to find someone with an iron. I definitely don't want to attempt that on my own without having someone to show me first.

Kudos to the folks who use the paste routinely. I feel like I'm kind of getting the hang of it...but it's HARD. I've got some burns on my own hands and arms, and my shirt is totaled. The worst part is that I have no idea if it's been effective.
I don't know if I'm even doing it right...everything says it's only "some discomfort", but these guys were going ballistic. I know goats can be drama queens, but it just seemed awful.

EDIT: Okay this is strange. I did my oldest girl, she's about 16 days old but her horn buds are no bigger than the boys I did. I didn't use duct tape or anything, just wrapped her up and applied the paste (after a haircut). She's not even noticed. She's just sitting in my daughter's lap watching Garfield. Worried it's not doing anything at all now.
EDIT: Alright, done with her. never uttered a peep. I washed the stuff off and there is NOTHING. No marks, no indication the stuff was ever there. I don't think it did anything at all. I don't understand what happened, but I may as well have applied play-dough.

Here is what the boys' heads look like. Is this what it should look like? Thanks!

 

[Pearce Pastures]

Not sure what it should look like. Never seen it used on a goat before so maybe someone else can pipe in. If it doesn't work out or you get scurs (which is likely), a decent disbudding iron wouldn't cost much and would be nicer than having to have someone else do it. You'll have to let us know how it turns out.

 

[s.z.ichigo]

Not sure what it should look like. Never seen it used on a goat before so maybe someone else can pipe in. If it doesn't work out or you get scurs (which is likely), a decent disbudding iron wouldn't cost much and would be nicer than having to have someone else do it. You'll have to let us know how it turns out.

Thanks, I really hope to get one soon. They just happened to need disbudding at a very financially inconvenient time. I'm in contact with a local owner of ND goats, so hopefully I can have them done properly very shortly. Next time around I will make sure to have an iron of my own in time.

I do hope someone can chime in and let me know a few things about the boys I did. Mainly:

How long until I see scurs if they are going to appear?
Can they be disbudded using an iron in a few days? I would imagine so, since the whole area gets obliterated by the iron, so it shouldn't matter that I already used the paste, right? Won't proceed without knowing though.

Thanks

 

[OneFineAcre]

If they are two week old bucklings, you better do it soon or you will be getting a vet to do it again later. Forget scurs, you'll have horns.

We're doing two this weekend who are 11 days old. We should have done this Wed when they were 7 days old.

 

[s.z.ichigo]

It looks like Wednesday for the other guys, and possibly to redo my boys. I definitely dropped the ball this year, and I know to be better prepared next time around. Hopefully all is well in the end.

 

[Missy]

Is anyone here near you that could help? I would be willing, and have a disbudding iron, if you were close to me, not many are close though I am in UP UP UP state NY. (think Vermont/Canada border)

 

[s.z.ichigo]

Is anyone here near you that could help? I would be willing, and have a disbudding iron, if you were close to me, not many are close though I am in UP UP UP state NY. (think Vermont/Canada border)

Thanks for the offer! I am in NH on the mid-VT/NH border, so I'm a ways away. I found a lady about a half hour away from here that can help me out. Thanks though!