Need some advice here - soon

[MistyMorning]

Just got in from evening watering and saw that one of my 7 month old highland/cross heifers had a horn turned in with a fair amount of blood on her (she is white so it stands out). The bleeding has stopped, the about 4 inch horn is turned in. Am going to isolate her from the herd and make some calls to other highland owners. Would do a search here, but don't have time. Anyone ever see this before and have any ideas of best way to treat?

 

[Hippie Rancher]

You mean broken or shelled? I have seen lots of both - not much you can do but seeing as you are in a pretty cold climate you might think of some pain relievers for a few days while it gets a good seal going - that cold air might be a bit painful. Don't think I would try to wrap it or anything - too much risk of incubating nasties. Best to let it dry and grow out. It will look funny for a while, maybe forever but won't hurt the cow in any way.

 

[cypressfarms]

We had some hereford heifers over 20 years ago that my dad had bought. The owner did us the favor of dehorning them . He cut the horn so low, in was in the skull of the cows. We had to pack and repack each one for a couple of weeks - not fun!

You need to determine where the break on the horn is. If it's out of the skull, on the exposed horn, it's not that big of a deal - it will heal. I would spray some blu-lotion on it though. If the break is at the skull, or where the horn attaches, you have a more serious problem. Way too involved to describe - besides if it is near the skull I would recommend a vet.

Good luck!

 

[milkmaid]

Why not just cut it all the way off?

 

[Hippie Rancher]

and take pix for the collection!

 

[MistyMorning]

Thanks guys... Had neighbor over who has been in the business awhile, he suggests dehorn. Talked with vet and she suggests dehorn unless I'm overly attached to the horn. Would be nice to save it, but bottom line is I will dehorn. Hippie Rancher would make a great pic for the collection, but no can do with the puter system here.

Thanks again all for your time and input.

 

[milesvb]

We had some hereford heifers over 20 years ago that my dad had bought. The owner did us the favor of dehorning them . He cut the horn so low, in was in the skull of the cows. We had to pack and repack each one for a couple of weeks - not fun!

Why was it necessary to pack and repack the cavities? Really big horns? How old were the heifers?

We have our brahman heifers dehorned a month or two after weaning and despite the open cavities being quite large they usually heal over and close up with no problem. Rain causes them discomfort and hay getting in the openings isn't good either but we don't pack/unpack the cavities.

 

[oscar p]

I stick a cotton ball in the hole and spray with Gibson oil and blue lotion and turn'em loose. The Gibson oil will shed water if it happens to rain. But I never repack.

 

[cypressfarms]

We had some hereford heifers over 20 years ago that my dad had bought. The owner did us the favor of dehorning them . He cut the horn so low, in was in the skull of the cows. We had to pack and repack each one for a couple of weeks - not fun!

Why was it necessary to pack and repack the cavities? Really big horns? How old were the heifers?

We have our brahman heifers dehorned a month or two after weaning and despite the open cavities being quite large they usually heal over and close up with no problem. Rain causes them discomfort and hay getting in the openings isn't good either but we don't pack/unpack the cavities.

These were young lightly bred heifers. You could actually see the brain - no joke-. We packed them with cotton and some sort of solution the vet gave my dad (I can't remember what it was). About every third day we'd repack. It was hot outside - may be one of the factors that we had to pack so frequent - to prevent rot and infection. Horrible smell, nasty to look at, but we saved every one. I remember it so well because back then our facilities were not good. All we had was a barn and cattle panels. Whenever we needed to repack, we had to squeeze the cow with cattle panels and tie her head. Definitely on the stressful side- for everyone. I was only about 14 or so at the time, but can remember asking my dad: "can't you buy cattle that don't have horns?" Laughing my dad told me that yes there were "polled" cattle that did not have horns and from now on we woud be getting polled. He switched to commercial brangus after those herefords and hasn't switched again.

 

[novatech]

These were young lightly bred heifers. You could actually see the brain - no joke-. We packed them with cotton and some sort of solution the vet gave my dad (I can't remember what it was). About every third day we'd repack. It was hot outside - may be one of the factors that we had to pack so frequent - to prevent rot and infection. Horrible smell, nasty to look at, but we saved every one. I remember it so well because back then our facilities were not good. All we had was a barn and cattle panels. Whenever we needed to repack, we had to squeeze the cow with cattle panels and tie her head. Definitely on the stressful side- for everyone. I was only about 14 or so at the time, but can remember asking my dad: "can't you buy cattle that don't have horns?" Laughing my dad told me that yes there were "polled" cattle that did not have horns and from now on we woud be getting polled. He switched to commercial brangus after those herefords and hasn't switched again.

That was not the brain. It was the sinus cavity. The only reason to pack is to keep the flies out. I never do it. Just spray it with some sort of dressing and just let it dry out and heal over. Years ago we would pack them with cotton and a product called "62" (looked like tar) because of screw worm. Occasionally there will be a discharge that looks like puss or infection but it is usually just snot.

 

[milkmaid]

These were young lightly bred heifers. You could actually see the brain - no joke-. We packed them with cotton and some sort of solution the vet gave my dad (I can't remember what it was). About every third day we'd repack. It was hot outside - may be one of the factors that we had to pack so frequent - to prevent rot and infection. Horrible smell, nasty to look at, but we saved every one. I remember it so well because back then our facilities were not good. All we had was a barn and cattle panels. Whenever we needed to repack, we had to squeeze the cow with cattle panels and tie her head. Definitely on the stressful side- for everyone. I was only about 14 or so at the time, but can remember asking my dad: "can't you buy cattle that don't have horns?" Laughing my dad told me that yes there were "polled" cattle that did not have horns and from now on we woud be getting polled. He switched to commercial brangus after those herefords and hasn't switched again.

That was not the brain. It was the sinus cavity. The only reason to pack is to keep the flies out. I never do it. Just spray it with some sort of dressing and just let it dry out and heal over. Years ago we would pack them with cotton and a product called "62" (looked like tar) because of screw worm. Occasionally there will be a discharge that looks like puss or infection but it is usually just snot.

Ditto... I've seen and taken horns off 15+ month old Holsteins, leaves a big hole and a lot of blood, but the most we'll do is cover with a cottonball in each hole initially, and they heal up just fine on their own.

 

[Ryder]

These were young lightly bred heifers. You could actually see the brain - no joke-. We packed them with cotton and some sort of solution the vet gave my dad (I can't remember what it was). About every third day we'd repack. It was hot outside - may be one of the factors that we had to pack so frequent - to prevent rot and infection. Horrible smell, nasty to look at, but we saved every one. I remember it so well because back then our facilities were not good. All we had was a barn and cattle panels. Whenever we needed to repack, we had to squeeze the cow with cattle panels and tie her head. Definitely on the stressful side- for everyone. I was only about 14 or so at the time, but can remember asking my dad: "can't you buy cattle that don't have horns?" Laughing my dad told me that yes there were "polled" cattle that did not have horns and from now on we woud be getting polled. He switched to commercial brangus after those herefords and hasn't switched again.

That was not the brain. It was the sinus cavity. The only reason to pack is to keep the flies out. I never do it. Just spray it with some sort of dressing and just let it dry out and heal over. Years ago we would pack them with cotton and a product called "62" (looked like tar) because of screw worm. Occasionally there will be a discharge that looks like puss or infection but it is usually just snot.

Ditto... I've seen and taken horns off 15+ month old Holsteins, leaves a big hole and a lot of blood, but the most we'll do is cover with a cottonball in each hole initially, and they heal up just fine on their own.

Correct. No big deal.

 

[brimmer X]

Old timers use to cover cavities with a substance called pine tar. It can still be purchased at most coops. My Brahman cattle get surgical dehorning which cost $55 a head. Vet cuts around the base of the horn, kind of an eye shape. He then takes a barnes dehorner and cuts the horn off and slightly into the skull, and shapes it so is really smooth rounded. Pulls out the blood supplying arteries and stitches the skin back over the cavity. You leave stitches in for 45 days and remove them your self or leave in permanently. This method can be done at any time of year. No Fly problems. You now have a nice looking polled head.