Im getting ready to dehorn a cow that has one horn turning back and heading towards its eye.I thought I would only cut the one, my neighbor said he had a de-horning tool that looked somewhat like bolt cutters and would help.Im just wanting to know what to expect and what needs done thanks rws
need de-horning advice
- Thread starter rws
- Start date
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You have a lot of options:
First, ignore the "raise cows with no horns" advice. You're already there.
Second - get a wire saw and cut of about 6 inches back from the point. Probably no blood - or very little. This gives you several years to decide what you want to do.
Third - cut it off entirely. It'll get a bit messy if this is a mature cow and do not be surprized if it goes down for a bit in shock. Have a burner ready to slow / stop the blood. Then use a coagulating agent to keep it stopped. If you have Lidacaine (sp?) on hand give her some of this over the eye along the skull - freezing agent - a bit like what your dentist does for you before drilling. Then you will have no shock but it still gets messy.
Fourth - do nothing until you have absolutely to.
I have a couple of animals here with one horn - removed for various reasons.
There is a lot more to say, but your information is quite sketchy.
You want more advice, you'll have to provide more info.
Regards
Bez
First, ignore the "raise cows with no horns" advice. You're already there.
Second - get a wire saw and cut of about 6 inches back from the point. Probably no blood - or very little. This gives you several years to decide what you want to do.
Third - cut it off entirely. It'll get a bit messy if this is a mature cow and do not be surprized if it goes down for a bit in shock. Have a burner ready to slow / stop the blood. Then use a coagulating agent to keep it stopped. If you have Lidacaine (sp?) on hand give her some of this over the eye along the skull - freezing agent - a bit like what your dentist does for you before drilling. Then you will have no shock but it still gets messy.
Fourth - do nothing until you have absolutely to.
I have a couple of animals here with one horn - removed for various reasons.
There is a lot more to say, but your information is quite sketchy.
You want more advice, you'll have to provide more info.
Regards
Bez
Craig-TX
Well-known member
You're correct in that you do need to do something about it. It might be easier on you and will definitely be easier on her to just saw a couple inches off the tip.
Craig-TX
Craig-TX
We just did a similar procedure a five year old cow. The tip of one of her horns was getting close to her eye. We sawed off about an inch back from the tip. There was no bleeding and it was very easy on the cow. Just make sure you get her head still and be careful near her eye.
CattleAnnie
Well-known member
If I buy a cow that needs to be dehorned, Honey & I always have the branding pot heating up a flat iron.
Whether you use the dehorning pliers or wire (which is a lot more work, but cauterizes a bit as you go), we keep that iron in the fire to cauterize any bleeding...and if you're taking off a large amount of horn from a mature animal, they do bleed pretty well sometimes.
It sure helps if you can run a rope around their head into a makeshift halter. Easier to use the iron and to dehorn when they can't thrash their head around. Less blood on yourself, too.
Take care.
Whether you use the dehorning pliers or wire (which is a lot more work, but cauterizes a bit as you go), we keep that iron in the fire to cauterize any bleeding...and if you're taking off a large amount of horn from a mature animal, they do bleed pretty well sometimes.
It sure helps if you can run a rope around their head into a makeshift halter. Easier to use the iron and to dehorn when they can't thrash their head around. Less blood on yourself, too.
Take care.
bubchub
Well-known member
This does sound a bit gross and inhumane but it works real well. We sometimes use a reciprocating saw with a wood blade. Chops it off really well and quick!! If I were you, I would cut BOTH horns off and not worry about them . If you do decide to cut 100% of the horn off, be sure to cut about two inches of the side of the head off or at least some where the hair grows. Looks bad for about a week, but will eventually look great and the horn will not grow back.
could a person just use the bolt cutter type dehorner and just cut 3 or 4 inches off without using the wire type or does the wire help cull as it cuts looks like the wire cutter would take longer while you was holding its head still
Texan
Well-known member
We've got one like that. In fact, I'd like to hear you tell Pointy-Head she looks great. All the bulls always wait and breed her last every year.bubchub":1b1kd6ws said:
It doesn't require brain surgery or leaving a hole in her head to solve her immediate problem. That's pretty rough treatment for a mature cow. I would just restrain her head good and use a hacksaw to tip it back a few inches. Tipping a few inches should get you a few more years, at least.
Caustic Burno
Well-known member
Cut the tip off that dang horn, or hual the genetic defect to the salebarn.
She is goin to be hamburger material in a few years anyway cow prices are good right now, let the old gal calf sell her as a cow/calf pair.
She is goin to be hamburger material in a few years anyway cow prices are good right now, let the old gal calf sell her as a cow/calf pair.
rws":2xdc0145 said:
I would be concerned that if the cutter isn't sharp enough you could crush the horn wall and pissibly cause cracks further down the horn.
The first/last couple of inches is generally solid horn but in some the horn wall is thing and isn't as solid towards the tip.
I would go with the saw. Just make sure the head is firmly restrained.
dun
