Pruning loppers for dehorning?

[Jogeephus]

Has anyone ever tried using pruning loppers to dehorn? Tool I got cannot be used on this horn it has a closed end. Was thinking on using a saw but was wondering if anyone has ever tried using a lopper. Seems like it might be worth a try.

 

[Limomike]

Depending on how many you are going to dehorn and how big they are, it may be well worth the money spent on getting some type of dehorn tool. I dont know if the pruning loppers will get close enough to make a difference.

 

[Ryder]

Unless you have some a lot heavier than the ones at Wally World, they will probably bend on you.

 

[Jogeephus]

Depending on how many you are going to dehorn and how big they are, it may be well worth the money spent on getting some type of dehorn tool. I dont know if the pruning loppers will get close enough to make a difference.

I've got a big heavy pear but its design is such that you must stick the horn through the opening at the end and the blade works like a guilotin. Got one horn turned back toward head and I can't get the horn in the tool. So I'm in a pickle. I want to get the cow out of the chute as soon as possible.

 

[Auburn_Ag]

One of the best things I have seen used for dehorning is a Dewalt Reciprocating Saw. Restrain their head with a halter and it is quick and painless, to you and the animal.

 

[Tiger]

To truly dehorn dont you have to take the whole horn from the skull. When we had the vet dehorn a few years back he had a circular saw that sat on their head and took off some of the skull to, where there was a hole about an inch and a half across. I did not like it so we started just cutting off the sharp ones down to nubs about 4 inches long. I have been using a chainsaw to do this and it works great. I used lopper on our goats and it worked great.

 

[sidney411]

We have a set of loppers that is from the phone company or electric company? They are used to cut the big heavy lines with. Both blades are sort of banana shaped so the horn fits real good between them, much better then pruning loppers. I can do the smaller ones but for big ones I wouldn't have the strength. It work well for tipping and such, I also used the blood stop powder but still got covered in blood. It's a real messy job. Don't have any more horns now though. Yeah!

 

[Bez>]

Depending on how many you are going to dehorn and how big they are, it may be well worth the money spent on getting some type of dehorn tool. I dont know if the pruning loppers will get close enough to make a difference.

I've got a big heavy pear but its design is such that you must stick the horn through the opening at the end and the blade works like a guilotin. Got one horn turned back toward head and I can't get the horn in the tool. So I'm in a pickle. I want to get the cow out of the chute as soon as possible.

Wire saw works best in all situations - often cauterizes the bleeding as well.

Bez>

 

[Beefy]

yeah i'd probably go with the wire too. takes a few seconds but will get the job done. i'm not sure loppers would cut the horn. they might bend the horn or just crush it and get stuck on it? dont know. i have the same kind you do that go over the top.

 

[Cattle Rack Rancher]

I did that the first year I was at the new farm. I Used the bypass type on the calves. It works, but it doesn't dig out the horn bud so I imagine they would grow back over time. It was good enough to get them to the sale barn though.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

I've been using tree loppers for many years, mostly on calves. My loppers are the standard ones and will cut up to 1.25-1.50 in diameter horns. On larger horns i just tip them as short as I can cut them.

I have seen the compound loppers that have what look like gear teeth near the pivot point. I'm wondering if they would cut larger horns but don't know anyone that has used them.

 

[Limomike]

Depending on how many you are going to dehorn and how big they are, it may be well worth the money spent on getting some type of dehorn tool. I dont know if the pruning loppers will get close enough to make a difference.

I've got a big heavy pear but its design is such that you must stick the horn through the opening at the end and the blade works like a guilotin. Got one horn turned back toward head and I can't get the horn in the tool. So I'm in a pickle. I want to get the cow out of the chute as soon as possible.

Wire saw works best in all situations - often cauterizes the bleeding as well.
Guess I am ignorant to the wire saw type.. I would be interested in that. I usually use the guillotine(sp) type.
The bigger the horn gets, and older the cow, its almost impossible to cut a cows horn. I did it with a hack saw once when the horn was getting close to her eye. It worked ok...but I always thought there has to be a better way.

Bez>

 

[Jogeephus]

Answered my own question today. On a six year old cow, pruning loppers won't work. All I wanted to do was tip it wouldn't grow into her head. Loppers got stuck at first but when I really laid some pressure to them the loppers exploded and I won't be trimming any more bushes with them. Ended up using a saw. Boy was she PO"D.

 

[Beefy]

i was afraid of that. good to know. every time i see horns i think about pruning loppers now.

 

[randiliana]

Here you go, OB wire. Works great for dehorning animals with large horns. Often cauterizes as it cuts.

Scroll down to the bottom of this page.
http://www.ricecrc.org/reader/beefmanage/a024.htm

http://www.enasco.com/top/377/Saws+%26+Accessories/

 

[Jogeephus]

Here you go, OB wire. Works great for dehorning animals with large horns. Often cauterizes as it cuts.

Scroll down to the bottom of this page.
http://www.ricecrc.org/reader/beefmanage/a024.htm

http://www.enasco.com/top/377/Saws+%26+Accessories/

Only got a few cows with horns and the bulls knock the horns right off of em but I think I'll order one of those wire saws in case I get ansy at the sell barn again. Know any good brands of loppers? Gonna hafta buy another pair of them too. :lol:

 

[randiliana]

Here you go, OB wire. Works great for dehorning animals with large horns. Often cauterizes as it cuts.

Scroll down to the bottom of this page.
http://www.ricecrc.org/reader/beefmanage/a024.htm

http://www.enasco.com/top/377/Saws+%26+Accessories/

Only got a few cows with horns and the bulls knock the horns right off of em but I think I'll order one of those wire saws in case I get ansy at the sell barn again. Know any good brands of loppers? Gonna hafta buy another pair of them too. :lol:

We paste all the calves that have horns shortly after birth. If we have a late bloomer they get done at branding. And if we happen to miss one we use this type http://www.enasco.com/ProductDetail.do?sku=C00181N . For the odd cow we use the OB wire. Works great.