Should I Dehorn and how?

[SCRUBS620]

I have a small calf (~350lbs) that I bought along with a group of other calves. He has horns that appeared and are now about an inch or a little more.

Can I still dehorn him easily? I saw the two handled dehorners that looked simple enough. Is it too late to use these? If it is going to be a big mess I will just skip it and take the loss on the selling price or use him as butcher beef. I assume it is too late for the dehorning paste - correct?

 

[dun]

At that size probably the best method would be the 2 handled sccop type. If you've never done it I would have someone experienced give me a hand. It's messy and noisey, but at this satge any method would be. Might could possibly still do it with the electric (burn) tool if you know someone that has one and once again, is experienced.

 

[SCRUBS620]

At that size probably the best method would be the 2 handled sccop type. If you've never done it I would have someone experienced give me a hand. It's messy and noisey, but at this satge any method would be. Might could possibly still do it with the electric (burn) tool if you know someone that has one and once again, is experienced.

I can always keep him back as a butcher beef so maybe that will be the easiest route. I know I will have to learn someday but I am not looking forward to it.

 

[dun]

I know I will have to learn someday but I am not looking forward to it.

I've done it and hate the scoop types. The electric ones are great if you catch the horn bud before or just after it erupts. Not appropo in your casse but dehorn at conception and won;t buy anything that is horned. There are folks that buy the horned ones, dehorn them and let them heal and do make a little on reselling them. It works the same as castration in that respect.

 

[randiliana]

We paste anything that has horns at birth. We do occaisonally miss one, or have one that develops late. At 350 lbs, there really shouldn't be a big mess when you dehorn this one. As stated above, use the 2 handled scoop type, it will only take you a few seconds per horn. He will bleed some, but unless he is a Longhorn the horns won't be big enough to even worry about the blood loss. Within a few days, you will probably never know there was anything there. BUT, don't do it in fly season if you can help it.

 

[TexasBred]

I have a small calf (~350lbs) that I bought along with a group of other calves. He has horns that appeared and are now about an inch or a little more.

Can I still dehorn him easily? I saw the two handled dehorners that looked simple enough. Is it too late to use these? If it is going to be a big mess I will just skip it and take the loss on the selling price or use him as butcher beef. I assume it is too late for the dehorning paste - correct?

With horns already this large go ahead and use the scoops. And it's really not that hard.... just try to make sure when you put the scoops over the horn you cut the horn off as well as a little bit of hair all the way around. May bleed a little but won't hurt a thing. If you have a branding iron you can seer over any bleeders.

 

[Hippie Rancher]

I have watched at the sale and not seen much if any docking for horned weaners. Now castrating pays - on the order of $50/head or more.

 

[BTRANCH]

We took our calves to the vet and paid $6. to have dehorned along with all the shots. Should have done sooner, but didn't.

He used the two handled saw thing and we had a couple that bled pretty good. Looked like they had been butchered up pretty bad but they healed up beautifully. Cannot really even tell now.

 

[katscars]

There is a paste you can use till 8weeks of age Dehorning Paste - Hornex. If your calf isn't too old.
katscars