Dehorning with a heat iron

[KennyWynn]

I have an 8 month old steer that needs to be dehorned for showing. (his horns are about 1 inch in diameter) A friend suggested using a dehorning iron? Apparently you heat this up and burn the horn off.
Does anyone know the correct way to use these?
Thanks

 

[Angus Cowman]

The only way I have ever seen a dehorning iron work was on small calves with just the nubs sticking thru
if you aren't familiar with dehorning I would suggest you have your vet do it

 

[Aaron]

Too old for an iron. :cowboy:

This is an earlier post that may help.

viewtopic.php?f=16&t=54809

 

[msscamp]

I have an 8 month old steer that needs to be dehorned for showing. (his horns are about 1 inch in diameter) A friend suggested using a dehorning iron? Apparently you heat this up and burn the horn off.
Does anyone know the correct way to use these?
Thanks

Your steer is too old, and his horns are too big for a dehorning iron. A dehorning iron will only work with a calf that is just showing nubs, usually less than a week old.

 

[regolith]

usually less than a week old

Done them up to ten weeks old, but that's getting a bit big. I'd prefer them at least 2 weeks old before dehorning, mainly because not every calf has easily detectable buds before then.

I had the vet 'dehorn' a six month old calf couple of years back. He sawed through them with a piece of cheesewire. Well, she's three and a half now and those re-grown horns have never got beyond two inches long - so I guess it did something.
I wouldn't touch them at that age. I'm presuming it was her age rather than the method that was faulty

Hmm - yeah, what everyone else said. Your steer is too old. And using a hot iron isn't something I'd want to learn over the internet - get your vet or someone to show you.

 

[jcarkie]

if it is a show calf take it to a vet that way it will look better . they will scoop out the horn, that way it will not grow back. it is messy but it works, they will get over it in a few days. hot irons are for baby calves, sawing off horns does not remove the growth of the horn only the part that is sticking out. they will grow and get bigger.