Dehorning Paste

[CKC1586]

I know that there are folks that use this on calves that are very young and they are happy with it. I have a 5 month old heifer with buds about 1/2 inch. Anyone use it on "bigger buds"??? I want to show her in October and would rather not burn them till after the show, but I was wondering if the paste might work.

 

[funky 4-Her]

Why not show her with horns???

 

[CKC1586]

I will wait till after the show to burn them off, but I was wondering if anyone had used paste on bigger buds.

 

[funky 4-Her]

The last time we used the paste was on a 3-4 month old heifer... I dont remember how big the buds were. The paste was really old, but did take care of them though they havent grown back... that was about a year ago. I'd give it a shot, even if it doesnt get rid of them cmpletly it should make them smaller.

 

[rockridgecattle]

Here is a trick you might already know about but if not here goes.
Cut two strips of duck tape big enough to tent over the paste. Not real tight just tent. Make sure to secure the tape on the ends real well by rubbing it a bit. A calf will not like the paste and try and rub it off. the tape will stay on long enough for the pate to work and then fall off.

 

[bward]

Half an inch? ok Restrain the heifer as in a squeeze, halter her and tie her head around. Take a slightly dullish wood chisel and putting the cutting blade next to the horn hairline, press in and try to lift the horn cap. You may need to use some force but it will pop. Then using the end of the chisel, dip into the jar of dehorning paste and spread a goodly amount all over the exposed horn bud, then use the end of the chisel to press the cap back on the horn bud.

;-)

 

[funky 4-Her]

Half an inch? ok Restrain the heifer as in a squeeze, halter her and tie her head around. Take a slightly dullish wood chisel and putting the cutting blade next to the horn hairline, press in and try to lift the horn cap. You may need to use some force but it will pop. Then using the end of the chisel, dip into the jar of dehorning paste and spread a goodly amount all over the exposed horn bud, then use the end of the chisel to press the cap back on the horn bud.

;-)

OUCH!! doesn't that hurt ???????

 

[rockridgecattle]

i think i feel a migraine coming for that animal.

 

[bigbull338]

I know that there are folks that use this on calves that are very young and they are happy with it. I have a 5 month old heifer with buds about 1/2 inch. Anyone use it on "bigger buds"??? I want to show her in October and would rather not burn them till after the show, but I was wondering if the paste might work.

the paste dehorner works best before you can see the nubbs.just make sure you get it all over the area that grows the horn.if you dont get it all over the horn budd area.youll have a funny looking horn growing.

 

[ArrowHBrand]

Why not show her with horns???

You ever been horned by a show calf? My sister in law just got swiped a couple of days ago and now has a blue/black bruise on her arm the size of a half dollar. I was feeding show calves at a show once. All four were tied up in the calf barn and I was walking between them putting feed pans in front of them. I put the first one down and the next one thought it had to eat right now because she hooked her little inch and a half long nub of a horn behind my knee and lifted me clear onto one leg tip toe-ing. That is why we don't show with horns. Once they learn to use them, it's all down hill.

 

[bigbull338]

Why not show her with horns???

You ever been horned by a show calf? My sister in law just got swiped a couple of days ago and now has a blue/black bruise on her arm the size of a half dollar. I was feeding show calves at a show once. All four were tied up in the calf barn and I was walking between them putting feed pans in front of them. I put the first one down and the next one thought it had to eat right now because she hooked her little inch and a half long nub of a horn behind my knee and lifted me clear onto one leg tip toe-ing. That is why we don't show with horns. Once they learn to use them, it's all down hill.

yes it does hurt when they catch you with their liittle horns.but whats worse is when they hook you in the seat of the pants.an lift you completely off the ground.an slowly walk with you balancing on her horns.been there done that.not easy balancing on a set of horns.

 

[funky 4-Her]

Yup I've showed a few with horns and glad to say never got in the way of one...

 

[ArrowHBrand]

Big Bull I think I would have liked to see that!

 

[CKC1586]

I know that there are folks that use this on calves that are very young and they are happy with it. I have a 5 month old heifer with buds about 1/2 inch. Anyone use it on "bigger buds"??? I want to show her in October and would rather not burn them till after the show, but I was wondering if the paste might work.

the paste dehorner works best before you can see the nubbs.just make sure you get it all over the area that grows the horn.if you dont get it all over the horn budd area.youll have a funny looking horn growing.

That's what I thought about the paste. I just bought her so I will wait and burn em off or get the vet out to do a cosmetic dehorn after the shows. Thanks for your suggestions/help!

 

[Mudge]

We used them, worked good on the youngn's who havent went through skin yet..

the ones who've already came in and have stubs.. it seemed to just to stunt there growth.. dunno though yet.

 

[bward]

OUCH!! doesn't that hurt ???????

Popping the horn cap off no does not bother the calf much but like rock ridge cattle says they do get a pretty good headache afterwords for a couple hours from the burning paste. Anytime I tried to dehorn a calf beyond the nub stage by just applying paste to the intact nub, I have had to reapply it again and again and again.

 

[rockridgecattle]

my father in law once tried the banding elastics. used a knife to cut into the horn al the way around and then put a little green elastic on it. Now we have funny shaped horns on some of the cows and they need trimming every few years. Not a move i would like to try again.

 

[TheBullLady]

I hate that stuff.. if you've ever seen a calf rub it and get it in their eye, you'd know why.

If you're going to dehorn her anyway after the show, I would just wait until then.

 

[CKC1586]

I hate that stuff.. if you've ever seen a calf rub it and get it in their eye, you'd know why.

If you're going to dehorn her anyway after the show, I would just wait until then.

I think that will be my plan, I don't want to mess up her pretty little head!
Thanks to all who replied.

 

[braunvieh]

We have to dehorn most of our cattle and IMO the paste is only meant for newborn calves, within a week of age. And, what others have said, you have to be very careful with it, it is essentially putting acid on their head.

I would suggest using a dehorning iron for the horns. We use it on horned calves from newborn to about 4 months, depending on the size of their horns. It is similar to branding, does not cause any bleeding and does a great job of killing the horn bud and after a while the horns fall off. Must less stressful than cutting them off and you cannot really mess up, the biggest problem we have had is not burning them long enough and they come back.

Good luck!