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Tips 'n Tricks
Dehorning, tips and tricks
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<blockquote data-quote="Lucky_P" data-source="post: 693672" data-attributes="member: 12607"><p>Polled dairy cattle are becoming more available all the time, and by crossing top-producing horned bulls on polled cows or good polled bulls on top cows, the quality of polled bulls available for the dairy breeds is rapidly approaching that of the horned bulls currently available. Have a look here:</p><p><a href="http://www.polleddairycows.com/" target="_blank">http://www.polleddairycows.com/</a></p><p></p><p>I prefer using a polled bull to take the horns off, but lacking that, I prefer a hot iron dehorner at 2-4 weeks.</p><p>I've used the caustic dehorning paste on occasions in the past, but I hate it - it 'goes places', and I've had calves smear it all over their head, burn holes in their ears, etc. </p><p>While in veterinary practice, I've done 'em with Barnes dehorners(scoops), Keystones, OB wire saw(probably my preferred mechanical method), but I still prefer to burn 'em off with the dehorning iron.</p><p></p><p>I've 'dehorned' 6-month old heifers, bloodlessly, with Elastrator bands(the little green Cheerio) - shave the hair around the base of the horn, and apply two elastrator bands as far down at the base of the horn as possible. Tetanus is a possibility, so you either need to give a dose of tetanus antitoxin, or have given a dose of tetanus toxoid or Clostridial bacterin with tetanus toxoid several weeks earlier, boostered at the time you apply the band. The calves will shake their heads for a half-hour or so, but soon stop acting like it's causing any discomfort. Horns drop off, clean as a whistle, in about 4-6 weeks.</p></blockquote><p></p>
[QUOTE="Lucky_P, post: 693672, member: 12607"] Polled dairy cattle are becoming more available all the time, and by crossing top-producing horned bulls on polled cows or good polled bulls on top cows, the quality of polled bulls available for the dairy breeds is rapidly approaching that of the horned bulls currently available. Have a look here: [url=http://www.polleddairycows.com/]http://www.polleddairycows.com/[/url] I prefer using a polled bull to take the horns off, but lacking that, I prefer a hot iron dehorner at 2-4 weeks. I've used the caustic dehorning paste on occasions in the past, but I hate it - it 'goes places', and I've had calves smear it all over their head, burn holes in their ears, etc. While in veterinary practice, I've done 'em with Barnes dehorners(scoops), Keystones, OB wire saw(probably my preferred mechanical method), but I still prefer to burn 'em off with the dehorning iron. I've 'dehorned' 6-month old heifers, bloodlessly, with Elastrator bands(the little green Cheerio) - shave the hair around the base of the horn, and apply two elastrator bands as far down at the base of the horn as possible. Tetanus is a possibility, so you either need to give a dose of tetanus antitoxin, or have given a dose of tetanus toxoid or Clostridial bacterin with tetanus toxoid several weeks earlier, boostered at the time you apply the band. The calves will shake their heads for a half-hour or so, but soon stop acting like it's causing any discomfort. Horns drop off, clean as a whistle, in about 4-6 weeks. [/QUOTE]
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