dehorning 300lb. holsteins

[mtwheatley]

I'm completely new at this so any help is appreciated.
I just purchased three holstein bulls two weeks ago. They are about 300 lbs. I banded them before putting them on the trailer to come home. I'm trying to figure out what to do about dehorning.

My plan is to run them back through the sale barn at 500-600 lbs. Their horms are about an inch long now. Would you mess with dehorning or not worry about it?

If you would dehorn, how would you do it considering the horns seem too big to burn at this point?

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I wouldn't mess with it.

 

[B&M Farms]

I wouldn't bother either but if you just want to you can use a pair of tree limb loppers or a cordless sawzall.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

You can also band them.

 

[Double R Ranch]

Have you done the banding technique? I tried it on goats a few years ago with mixed results and a stretched out balling period from what appeared to be pain for a while. Just curious. Have two Holstein heifers I'm raising for future nurse cows and noticed nubs starting to become noticeable. Have a hot iron dehorner but wasn't successful with it on goats so not sure what I'm gunna do. Can't find reliable times or what not to use it. Not sure if I didn't hold long enough or not.
To the OP if they aren't bothering anyone I'd probably just leave them since your going to flip them anyways. Personally I don't care for horns on my animals but if I picked them up and am going to resell them in a few months I don't know if I'd mess with it personally.
Ill probably have my two heifers done by the vet at Bangs vac time. Not sure yet.

 

[mtwheatley]

Thanks for the help. I will leave them as is and see how it goes.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

Have you done the banding technique? I tried it on goats a few years ago with mixed results and a stretched out balling period from what appeared to be pain for a while. Just curious. Have two Holstein heifers I'm raising for future nurse cows and noticed nubs starting to become noticeable. Have a hot iron dehorner but wasn't successful with it on goats so not sure what I'm gunna do. Can't find reliable times or what not to use it. Not sure if I didn't hold long enough or not.
To the OP if they aren't bothering anyone I'd probably just leave them since your going to flip them anyways. Personally I don't care for horns on my animals but if I picked them up and am going to resell them in a few months I don't know if I'd mess with it personally.
Ill probably have my two heifers done by the vet at Bangs vac time. Not sure yet.

I have done it on some 900 to 1200lb bulls mostly just to see how it works, it does fine and I never noticed them acting like they were in a big amount of pain. The main thing was to make sure the band stayed down in the bottom of the horn and didn't slide up.

 

[ChrisB]

If you are planning on sending them through a sale barn then I think it would be worth your time to have the horns removed. Around here there doesn't seem to be a big demand for 600 lb. Holsteins anyway, and if they have horns you might not get many interested buyers. I would either scoop them out or use a sawzall starting at the back and going to the front and then cauterizing it with your hot iron.

I guess banding is supposed to work great but I've also had trouble getting the bands to stay on.

 

[M5farm]

http://www.jefferspet.com/barnes-dehorn ... /cn/31074/

this tool is excellent for getting the buds off . I keep a jar of pine tar to rub in the hole (i don't know if if does anygood but thats what my grand daddy did)

 

[TexasBred]

http://www.jefferspet.com/barnes-dehorner/camid/LIV/cp/16155/cn/31074/

this tool is excellent for getting the buds off . I keep a jar of pine tar to rub in the hole (i don't know if if does anygood but thats what my grand daddy did)

That's all I've ever used but without the pine tar. Will work on any size calf as long as you can get the horn up in it and cut it off down into the hair around the horn.

 

[salebarn junkie]

I would recommend you get someone to help you that's done it before and make sure you have a squise shute or a real good head gate. Don't do it if you can't stand the site of blood. I don't think there's a right or wrong choice one way you will get more per pound the other way they should weigh a little more. This time of year I woulddnt just because of flys.

 

[Dave]

With their size and only one inch horns I would try to burn them. I have burnt them that size with success. You just have to apply more pressure and hold it on longer. Try to find a burner with a large opening. The Barnes dehorners sure work but I will guarantee that the blood will fly.

 

[Calhoun Farm]

I've got 2 holstein steers about that size I'm going to dehorn this fall. Good topic with good information. thanks

 

[brimmer X]

A hot iron will work. Much larger than an inch would be difficult. To maximise your success, put the hot iron on the horn. Mash hard, turn back & forth, and get a good dark burnt ring on the skull around the base of the horn. Then knock the horn bud off with the heal of your hand. Might be a small amount of blood, if so, apply the hot iron to that area.

A vet told me this works good on cows, but to be careful with goats. Too much pressure or too hot could fry their brain.

 

[Double R Ranch]

That's the part about the iron I can't figure out. I did this with kids once and non of them lost there nubs. How do you all know how long is long enough on calves (or kids for that matter)

 

[Tim/South]

I would dehorn them. I would try to wait until the flies were not as bad. Make sure they have healed before selling them. It is easier for the buyer to work them if the horns are gone. On smaller calves we use the scoop. It can be messy until you gfet the blood stopped. Make certain to have some rags and water to clean the head when finished.
The times we have raised Holstein calves, we kept them until they were 800 lb. or so. They bring fair money when they are big and ready to go on feed.

 

[glacierridge]

Lots of good advice. I concur with getting them off with whatever method you wish to try.

Especially with so many Holsteins with temperament issues in recent years... many buyers wouldn't prefer dealing with "armed" ones to grow out.
Crabby cattle with "weapons" can be a scary thing.

 

[Taurus]

Lots of good advice. I concur with getting them off with whatever method you wish to try.

Especially with so many Holsteins with temperament issues in recent years... many buyers wouldn't prefer dealing with "armed" ones to grow out.
Crabby cattle with "weapons" can be a scary thing.

Or hogging all food that they won't share with other hornless cattle. Therefore, more food for him/her and less food for the rest. That's why the feedlots do not want horned cattle.

 

[Double R Ranch]

Tried the paste last night on my two little calves. We'll see. Was a mess! Calves took it off faster than I could apply it. have NO idea if it will work. Not sure it was on long enough.
If you have the steers long enough and your interested in learning I think I agree with the others (now, changed my thoughts )Calves with horns do seem to get docked at auction. Just watched our auction yesterday. If your keeping them long enough to heal then I'd probably do it if it was me. Never paid much attention to the price difference at auction till this post.

 

[Bigfoot]

The Barnes type dehorner is an excellent tool to have. If it want fit around a horn, I just let it go. I have banded many horns in my day. It woke great. I got scared they would break a band half way through, and get an infection. I never heard of that happening, it just seemed like a possibility. I hit them with a hot iron after dehorning. I put on the antesptic spray afterwards. I smear pine tar around the hole, but not in it.

"I'm not a goat person". I always say that. No offense intended to goat people. I go through several a year, and dehorn all of them. They bleed like nothing I have ever seen. It is gruesome.