Dexter Cattle For Sale Discussion Board

Hi All, I was wondering at what age most of you dehorn (if you do) and method. I usually use a dehorning iron but as always these are designed for full sized beasts not dexters. I dehorned last week and although successful in that most of the bud is out I think some horn will grow. I don't show so this is not a problem to me, what is is animal welfare, hence the qu. I have brought some paste for the next one but have no experience of it, any views would be very welcome.

Thanks,

Fraser

Hello Fraser,

I find Dexters particularly difficult to dehorn nicely, they seem very prone to regrowth from a little bit of viable horn left round the base. So to that extent I would always use a standard size disbudding iron if doing them at that stage. Mine normally calf in April, and I think it is best left till the buds are readily identifiable before disbudding. For me this means there can be the possibility of maggots in the dehornig site, we seem to get them earlier and earlier here - I have seen them in mid May. So I leave mine till the Autumn, by which time they are too big for the disbudding iron and my instrument of choice is a saw.Whatever the age, they need good effective local anaesthetic, if you have not been trained in this your vet may well be able to give you some training. The use of local anaesthetic is essential. I prefer a saw to guillotine type things because there is less bleeding. You also get less bleeding using wire to cut, but I feel it is too tricky to be sure you have got the angle right and got all the horn forming tissue off. When I have sawn off the horn, I catch any obvious bleeding arteries with forceps and twist and pull. Any general ooze is best left - use of a hot iron to obliterate every last spot of blood from the site merely enlarges the wound and makes healing more prolonged. You will do a better job if they are properly restrained in a crush, even small calves can do a lot of wriggling, not necessarily because they are finding the procedure painful, just because they do not like having things done to them.
The dehorning paste is mostly caustic potash, KOH, a very corrosive chemical and can cause a lot of damage if it gets where it shouldn't be, such as cow or calf's tongues. I find it very difficult to believe that it does not cause considerable pain for a prolonged time - far better to do the job surgically and have it over with.

Keep an eye out for any early maggot flies if you are in a warmer part of the country - difficult to believe as we shiver under the thin April sun I know.

Duncan

I tend to dehorn at 6 weeks and castrate at that time as well. Normal size iron but i get in someone with experience to do it for me as i think an animal that has not been dehorned properly can be devalued and looks terrible. I show so i want a proper job, the guy does go deep to make sure all the bud is removed and my growback rate is very small. It costs but you get the money back when you sell a nice clean headed animal.This time of year we don't get problems with flies but later in the summer it can be a problem.
Tried paste years ago, made a mess and did a poor job, would never use it again.

Am far from being expert - that's my husband!! But thought I'd share what we do. (Apologoies if it comes across as telling you how to do something you already know)

Dehorned our calves recently - in region of month old. Buds tangible on them all. Used a dehorning iron. Ensured it was hot enough by pressing on piece of wood/spitting on it! Husband said a cool iron was cause of most problems he's come across, that and hair clogging the iron.We trimmed the hair from round one calves horn as it was quite 'fluffy'! Husband 'rocks' the iron in a circular motion after 'scooping' the initial bud out to help seal vessels /severe horn remaining. Sprayed with foot spray after and checked again in evening. I've never seen it done before and quite honestly was surprised by a- how much pressure is needed and b- what a neat job it does. Will let you know what the outcome is next year!!

The yearlings we bought with the cows had paste used on them and they're not good so personally would opt for iron.

Thanks all for the replys. I dehorn with an iron but really don't like it so thought I would ask around, the iron is for larger cattle so it's a tricky job.