Attitude after Dehorning

[Stocker Steve]

We bought quite a few 6 wt. cutter bulls this spring. Some had large horns that we removed with a Barnes dehorner. A couple of these new steers took dehorning real personnal and are skiddish now. Before banding and dehorning they would stand there and give you "the look." Any tips on avoiding skiddish steers other than buying calm polled stock at the start?

 

[mitchwi]

Steve - we've had some stocker steers in the past that started out sittish and turned into just plain nuts. Last one was the worst, every time it was time to load up a bunch, he'd bust through every corral and fence til he was in the farthest back pasture. I always knew he was thinking "yep, got away again " He got a bullet where he stood up the day he was finished.

 

[alacattleman]

lets see you scooped part of their skull out and now their skittish :shock: . he!! yes and will be for a little while ive dehorned more than my share they dont just run back in your loving arms and want more. im thinking at this point they may not like you too much ;-)

 

[Caustic Burno]

lets see you scooped part of their skull out and now their skittish :shock: . he!! yes and will be for a little while ive dehorned more than my share they dont just run back in your loving arms and want more. im thinking at this point they may not like you too much ;-)

ROTFLMAO
I always just used a hacksaw mine where as friendly as a housecat when we finished.

 

[Texan]

I try to keep one or two old, gentle, dry cows in with fresh calves or yearlings. Not only does it help to keep them calmed down, the old cows also teach them to come to feed, drink from troughs, etc. My experience is that calves or yearlings like that will readily take up with an old cow before they will anything else, especially me.

 

[cul8r]

If you are worried about them being skiddish, spend a little extra money and have the next bunch cosmetically dehorned. Alot less stressful on them.

 

[Beefy]

horns? i'd be more like "Come back here with my nads you Sonzas!"

 

[1848]

If you are worried about them being skiddish, spend a little extra money and have the next bunch cosmetically dehorned. Alot less stressful on them.

:shock: A little extra? Try the difference between $5 to $7 and $100 a head, plus removing stiches.

 

[cul8r]

If you are worried about them being skiddish, spend a little extra money and have the next bunch cosmetically dehorned. Alot less stressful on them.

:shock: A little extra? Try the difference between $5 to $7 and $100 a head, plus removing stiches.

Your apparently not getting it done at the right place. As far as stiches, that's no big deal, all you have to do is put them in the shoot and snip them out.

Better than them standing around in shock from having big open holes in their heads.

How much money do you think you will lose from them going off feed from the shock and being skiddish?

 

[alacattleman]

Thats the reason they dock for horns and balls. but the money saved buying them at a discount has to be made up some where. so you do the work the breeder should have done and hope to turn a profit