disbudding goats

[taraann81]

Okay I know this topic might be controversial, so please remember I am posting it too gather information, Friendly advice is appreciated

So I have a baby goat and want to get him disbudded. I first looked in to people in the area who raised goats hoping I could pay somebody too do it. No luck.
Second I went and priced a disbudding iron 200, firstly the only one I can find is for cows and seems too big. Secondly I feel that is a lot of money to spend on something I will only use once.
I called my livestock vet, he recommended the caustic paste, which I have read is "dangerous,useless" to name the nicer words which it has been called.

So what to do? Any suggestions?0

I do not want to leave his horns. He will be a better pet with out them but most importantly I have heard that dehorning is a horrible process and it is kinder to the goats to disbud them when they are young then to take a chance they will break a horn and require this procedure later in life

Thanks in advance for the kind, non judgmental, informative answers.

 

[Sammysmom]

Are you saying that the only disbudding iron you could find was $200.00?

Jeffers has the X-30 on sale right now for $54.95, I believe. Here's the link www.jefferslivestock.com.

Okay, I just double checked the site. Apparently the sale ended and the X-30 is now $58.95.

 

[barnyardmom]

call your local Extension office, or 4-H board. You need to do this ASAP!
If hes the only goat you plan of having and plan on keeping him for a long time the horns aren't a huge problem, as long as hes a calm and loving pet. And with animals that can change at any time. Also Google goats in your area and check with feed stores for names of those who show or trim hooves, they can usually help.
good luck!

 

[helmstead]

Try calling these people to find local help:

http://www.ogba.ca/cms/default.asp

Also on a quick Google search I found a large Ontario goat dairy - I bet they can help you!

Good luck.

 

[taraann81]

I went to the site helmstead posted and that is the same one for sale here for almost 200. I am willing to buy it but it could take a week or more for it to get here. his horns have already erupted but JUST. Will that be too late by the time it gets here?

 

[username taken]

I have used the dehorning paste on both calves and kids, it does work well.

If you are a bit wary of it, why not bring the kid into the vet and ask him to paste the horn buds for you?

For what its worth -

Many many goats live quite happy lives with horns you know. All my Boer and Angora goats have horns. I run about 50 odd does and have done for the last almost 5 years. Never had one break a horn and need to be dehorned in my herd.

I do work on a commercial property with 300+ boer and boer cross breeding does. Out of all those we have had four break a horn. That is over the last 3 years I have worked there. We remove the horn ourself and it is not as traumatic as people think. We use embryotome wire to cut the broken horn at the base - we sedate the goat with Rompun so she is dopey but not completely out. The embryotome wire burns as it cuts so there is very little bleeding - we put bloodstop on the horn stump to stop the bleeding that does occur. The goat is fully awake within half an hour. This method, the horn will continue to grow where you cut it off, with no ill effects to the goat. Leaving them with the broken horn can be painful particularly if they keep bumping it on things. Two of the cases we had at work we removed the horn - two it wasnt necessary.

 

[Sammysmom]

How old is your kid?

 

[taraann81]

Sammysmom I don't know how old he is. I got him from a guy who buys large quantities of dairy kids from dairys and resells them to make a profit. He was in horrible conditions and the guy said he was 3-4 weeks old, but I am skeptical. I think he is a togg cross and he weighs 8lbs now and still has his umbilical cord attached. I think he is younger than that

 

[Sammysmom]

Generally, kids are disbudded sometime during the first week of life. However, if your little guy's are just now erupting, you should be okay. If they get to say, over 1/2 inch, they would be too big. I doubt that you will get 1/2 inch of growth in a week. Here are some good instructions when/if you decide to disbud-http://fiascofarm.com/goats/disbudding.htm.

 

[taraann81]

From information I have recently received I believe that maybe his age is correct. I guess it is too late. I will talk to my vet about other options.
Thanks everyone.