Horn swoggled

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Anonymous

I have three six month old heifers that have 3" horns I would like to remove. I live in Oklahoma and it is beginning to get hot and fly season is starting. Can I cut these off and put something on the horns to repell flys or should I wait until cool season begins? Love to nip them off close now.

I made some bad decisions getting this critters conceived and born and I don't want to hurt them more.

Always enjoy reading this board. Thanks



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If you are handy with it, or have a good vet that is, use a skull scoop now. Our vet puts a very thin layer of gauze over the openeing and douses it liberly with blood stopper and powdered antibiotic. I've seen stuff that's been doen in the middle of summer with no ill affect. There is another vet in the area that always seems to have them either get infected or fly blown no matter what time of year she dehorns. The thing is, the longer you wait the bigger mess you will have on your hands when you finally do it.

dun

> I have three six month old heifers
> that have 3" horns I would
> like to remove. I live in Oklahoma
> and it is beginning to get hot and
> fly season is starting. Can I cut
> these off and put something on the
> horns to repell flys or should I
> wait until cool season begins?
> Love to nip them off close now.

> I made some bad decisions getting
> this critters conceived and born
> and I don't want to hurt them
> more.

> Always enjoy reading this board.
> Thanks
 
I'd talk to your local vet. He might have an idea how flys are developing in your area. We're in southern OK and have quite a few flies, but the temperature has been up and down. If you could keep the heifers up close so you could spray them on a regular basis, it might be OK. Sure hate to wait; the bigger the horns are, the harder it is on them (and you). Good luck...

> I have three six month old heifers
> that have 3" horns I would
> like to remove. I live in Oklahoma
> and it is beginning to get hot and
> fly season is starting. Can I cut
> these off and put something on the
> horns to repell flys or should I
> wait until cool season begins?
> Love to nip them off close now.

> I made some bad decisions getting
> this critters conceived and born
> and I don't want to hurt them
> more.

> Always enjoy reading this board.
> Thanks



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I would scoop them out then burn them, then spray with a good fly control spray, Burning helps seal off the would and will reduce the fly problem as there will be less fresh open flesh to attract them, spray a good quality fly spray over the open area, Holes will heal and drop scabs with in 2-3 weeks, this is what we have been doing on our commercial calves, works great, looks good too after it is all healed.

Also it is important to first clip the hair around the horn base, and wash, this will reduce the rate of infection, and it reduces the the hair around the area you work on where blood and other drainage can accumulate, which also attracts flies. This does not take a lot of time but will greatly reduce fly and infection trouble.

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