BULL HORNS

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PLUMNUTZ

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Hey folks :cboy:

Need a little advice. I have a 2500 lb. pet bull. He has a horn on the right side that is going to grow into his head. I have clipped the end off twice, but now he is not having any more of that. It is only about 1/8 " away from his head now. He has never been loaded, and I do not have a head gate that would hold him, ha. You can not get a vet. to come out to do anything like that here, they don't even want to use tranqulizers. I raised him from a calf after his mother died. I hate to have him butchered, and that brings on more talk. If he was a cat in a drain pipe you could get half the population to help. I am about at my wits end on this one, I am disabled and have very little local help. Thanks for listening to me rant!! Does anyone have any insight??
 
Turn off the cap locks
Get a horn weight and put it on the horn. It will take time but it can be done. From Rural Heritage on reshaping horns:
Shaving or Scraping
I have never tried this technique, but I know it works since I have seen many teams with horns that have been shaped this way. The procedure is quite simple: with a knife or other sharp instrument, shave or scrape the horn shell on the opposite side from the direction in which you wish the horn to grow.

If you wish to make a horn more upright, shave the back side. If you wish to widen the span, shave the insides of both horns. If you wish to narrow the span, shave the outsides. For a minor correction, one thinning may do the trick. For horns that are seriously imperfect, continue thinning until they shape up.

Remove about one-half of the shell's thickness, more or less, depending on how much you want to alter the direction of growth. If you shave too much, the horn will bleed, may become dangerously weak, and could possible break.

Since shaving does weaken the horn, shave only the part you wish to bend. If you weaken the entire shell, the horn will droop. Always leave the shaved horn perfectly smooth, then apply mineral oil to replace the natural protection you have removed.

Shaving works well, but doesn't allow the same control as using pressure or weights. With the latter, when the horn reaches the desired shape, you remove the pressure or weights. But after you have removed part of the animal's horn, you cannot replace it. So shave a little at a time and wait a few weeks to see what happens.

Since a young animal's horns change a lot over the first year, wait until your cattle are at least a year old before making any adjustments. Horn growth is especially dramatic in long-horned cattle, so don't be too quick to change the shape of your steer's horns.



Drew Conroy is author of Oxen—a Teamsters Guide and a regular contributor to RURAL HERITAGE. This article appeared in the Summer 1996 issue.
 
Agree with the shaving in principle - but it is likely too late for this guy. He is a fully mature animal and horn growth has slowed big time. Plus at his age he might break it if he starts fighting, or even rubbing something hard. We have that T-shirt.

You obviously do not have a squeeze - so I will not even go there.

The horn weight will not clear this animals problem - the horn is below the recovery level.

We use weights every year on our pllace.

Going to be hard to handle this guy - so tranquilize him and cut them off.

After having a "tame" bull nearly kill me - and lay me up for several weeks I am of the opinion you have a pet that is a danger.

But you will not likely listen to my advice on this.

So - knock him down with a tranq gun and do him - I personally would be happy to do the job for you - but I figure I am a bit too far away.

If you value your pet you will find a way to get someone out there with the gun to do the job.

Better - turn him into burger.

Oh, please lose the caps locks - p!sses everyone off because that is "in internet terms" - shouting.

Good luck

Bez
 
Thanks guys

Caps off, I am disabled and is easier to type with them on, did not know that!

The vet. I talked to was afraid to knock him out?? Would you know of anyone closer? :???:
 
There is a guy close to you that could probably give him a shot of dex or la200. :lol:
 
Best large animal vet near you in my opinion is Bill Fuller in Gate City, Virginia. If it can be done he will do it. Don't have his number though.
 
baxter78":2wta1ivg said:
Angus Cowman":2wta1ivg said:
newrancher":2wta1ivg said:
There is a guy close to you that could probably give him a shot of dex or la200. :lol:
Naw he moved to Kansas now

What the he77 are you talking about dip stick?

Yep from Tenn to Ariz to Kan, all depends on his keyboard stroke.
Have a nice dat ttclm, tmcm, cattlemanfrom outerspace et all :D :D :D
 
Best large animal vet near you in my opinion is Bill Fuller in Gate City, Virginia. If it can be done he will do it. Don't have his number though.

You are right, I got Bill Fuller to come down to where we live in Tn. and we cut the bulls horns off. He may get sick and die of something, but now, not of his horn growing into his head. Anyone needing a good vet, look up Bill Fuller, in Gate city, Va. :cboy:
 
Thanks for the update. By the way, what are plumnuts? Is it kinda like walnuts?

Walt
 
Hey Folks

I have found another good vet in my area. Dr. Nick Mason, he is in Moorsburg Tn. He only does large animals, and he just saved a very nice cow for me last night. He had to come about 50 miles one way to get to where I live.. :tiphat:
 

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