Dehorning

7 posts
Thu, 04/17/2014 - 08:30 #1

Member for

10 years
Merduc
Last seen: 04/05/2020 - 22:22
Joined: 04/17/2014 - 07:53

Dehorning

Would like to dehorn. I have 2 dexters to dehorn. Both are mature animals, one bull and one cow. I was researching the process and found the band dehorning process seemed quite good. I refer to the "Callicrate Bander Kit" used for both castration and dehorning. My question is, has anyone used this process and what were your thoughts on its effectiveness? Especially on the health of the animal. Pain, bleeding etc as I see the others heating, chopping methods are of quite a concern in this aspect. I remember my uncle many years ago using square shaped leather bands that he put over the horns of his dairy herd. After a while the horns fell or broke off with little distress to the cows. Has anyone seen or remember this process? Thrust these are good questions from a newbie.
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Thu, 04/17/2014 - 13:05 #2
rmcpb
Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 10/22/2012 - 11:13
Have not had anything to do with that product. When we dehorn it's not pretty and stresses the animal badly so we avoid it like the plague. Why do you want to dehorn them in the first place? Cheers Rob.
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Thu, 04/17/2014 - 18:30 #3
Merduc
Last seen: 04/05/2020 - 22:22
Joined: 04/17/2014 - 07:53

Hi rob,

Thanks for your answer. I do understand the reasons not to dehorn. As with my bull. Its horns are growing back into its head just above the eyes. I purchased him the other day and the previous owner used to cut the horns every so often to keep it off the face. This method as shown at this site (http://www.nobull.net/bander/SBsummary.html) seems to be quite good and minimal stress to the animal and give a more or less perminant solution.

The other one is quite agressive toward the other cows who are polled. I am worried she will cause some harm. 

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Thu, 04/17/2014 - 20:15 #4
rmcpb
Last seen: 03/08/2018 - 21:05
Joined: 10/22/2012 - 11:13
OK, reason is established and from what I can see on the website it's a logical way to do the job. As they said on the site, make sure they both get a tetanus shot before the dehorning. Sorry I am not much use really as I don't have any experience with this method. Have you asked the local vet about it? Cheers Rob.
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Thu, 04/17/2014 - 21:14 #5
Merduc
Last seen: 04/05/2020 - 22:22
Joined: 04/17/2014 - 07:53

Hi Rob,

Thanks Heaps. I will talk with the vet and see what transpires. Certainly will need the shots to ensure all is well.

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Fri, 04/18/2014 - 17:24 #6
barb
Last seen: 09/17/2019 - 18:07
Joined: 11/23/2011 - 09:38

Hi,

 

Yes, dehorning is the pits, but sometimes you just have to do it. I have to say I don't do it myself, as I am lucky enough to be good mates with a bloke who is a head stockman and for him the job is like falling off a log as he's been doing it for more than 40 years. However when he does do it he has anti biotic powder that is made especially for de-horning and they have a tetanus vax. before they are done. There is usually a spray of blood (sometimes quite bit), but it mostly stops fairly quickly and I've never lost any animals due to it.

 

He uses a set of scoop dehorners for young calves and a large pair of ratchet ones for older stock. The big ratchet one would be impossible for me to use anyway, as it takes a deal of strength to operate them. I have also seen de-horning wires used. These are basically a wire impregnated with diamond dust or carborundum and come with a set of handles to which the wire is fixed at both ends and they are used like a saw with one handle in each hand. An important thing: when you dehorn make sure that you use the antibiotic powder to prevent infection and afterwards, keep an eye on them  so that they don't suffer fly strike- use a fly repellant for live stock, around,  but not on the open wound. The consequences of fly strike on the newly cut horns can be pretty awful as the base of the horns are a direct channel to the brain- I'll let you use your imagination on that.

 

Animals to be mechanically de-horned must be restrained in a crush with a proper head bail to avoid accidents such as chopping off one of their ears or your finger and it  is also quite stressful for the animal, which is why it is normally done when they are young and the horns aren't so large.  

 

I have never seen them dehorned using bands, but it sounds like a much kinder solution than the traditional way of doing it.

 

regards,

 

Barb

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Fri, 04/18/2014 - 17:31 #7
Merduc
Last seen: 04/05/2020 - 22:22
Joined: 04/17/2014 - 07:53
Thanks barb, yes it sounds quite stressful. That is why i was looking at banding. It appears a little better for the older animals like i have.
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