Best way to dehorn 3 mth old heifer calf?

problum8

I have a 3 month old heifer calf that I bought but hasnt been dehorned... Just wondering would I be able to do the job with a gas or electric dehorner or is it too late for this? All advice is greatly appreciated.

blue5000

How big are the horns? A mini cranch would work, it has 2 wooden handles about a foot long, hinged in the middle.

wiggy123

too late me thinks..
have to be sckulled

problum8

Thanks lads. The horns are about an inch or so... I also have 3 week old calves and have no dehorner...Havent seen it done since I was a young lad with caustic!! Whats the best dehorner to get... The electric one or the gas one... Also how will I skull the older heifer Wiggy? Thanks again

wiggy123

we get vet out!!
or uncle somtimes saw thems off..leaves butts though

capslock88

she is a shade strong alrite but not overly so...in comparison to the weanlings and yearlings vets have to do every fall....theyre gruesome!....for that age calf we used get about 12cc of anesthetic from the vet (6cc for each side) injected under the skin about an inch down under the horn...wait about 20mins and the horn should be well numbed...

the anesthetic isn't essential and it can be hard to get them steady to inject them but the job is so much easier and humane with it....we used always use a handy sized hack saw...found it didn't open the skull as much as the cranch yoke...then an electric dehorner to finish the job...

reilig

I wonder would this be a job for the hornup???

problum8

reilig wrote: »

I wonder would this be a job for the hornup???

????? Reilig

Bizzum

reilig wrote: »

I wonder would this be a job for the hornup???

Now your talking man. Where's your ol' buddy trying to hawk them now:D.

Bizzum

problum8 wrote: »

Thanks lads. The horns are about an inch or so... I also have 3 week old calves and have no dehorner...Havent seen it done since I was a young lad with caustic!! Whats the best dehorner to get... The electric one or the gas one... Also how will I skull the older heifer Wiggy? Thanks again

Get yourself a good Gas dehorner, Few threads some time back on here debating the merits of each, for the younger calves.

In relation to the stronger calf. Use an anaesthetic (or get someone who knows how to use it.) From memory there is a depression/groove in the skull between the eye and horn root, I inject there. (If I had a calf's head in front of me I'd describe the spot better!)
I Know a chap that reared hundreds of calves and would have the odd very strong one. He had a narrow gauge pipe maybe an inch in diameter, with a handle on it , that he would heat with a blow torch for a strong one. It was a good job!

1chippy

yeh its into the depression over the eye. you shoudnt have to wait twenty minutes though, maybe your using something dif. a good pair of nose thongs and a short butchers saw will do the job. I still have to get the knack of tying the veins though!

Bizzum

What are the legal implications associated with anyone other than a Vet skulling cattle?

mantua

Gas dehorner is the best job because they don't take aslong to heat up as the electric one than the gas and it can be awkward if you don't have a socket in or very near the yard.
Get yourself just a normal tenon saw if your goin skullin but it a 2 man job if you don't have the most modern setup but don't go at it if your not sure maybe get a neighbour who is..

Bodacious

blue5000 wrote: »

How big are the horns? A mini cranch would work, it has 2 wooden handles about a foot long, hinged in the middle.

id use a shot of local anaesthetic and the barns dehorner as described above and cauterise the wound immediately with the portasol gas dehorner and take out the horn root while you at it and not a bit will ever regrow if you do it right.

Either this or leave her be until she is at least 2 years and skull her in close to the head

simx

problum8 wrote: »

Thanks lads. The horns are about an inch or so... I also have 3 week old calves and have no dehorner...Havent seen it done since I was a young lad with caustic!! Whats the best dehorner to get... The electric one or the gas one... Also how will I skull the older heifer Wiggy? Thanks again

caustic illegal now,unfortunatly :mad:

Rovi

simx wrote: »

caustic illegal now,unfortunatly :mad:

And it's also illegal to disbud over 2 weeks of age without an anaesthetic, according to the Teagasc guidelines:
http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2008/20081022/animalwelfareguidelines.asp#Veterinary

We always used anaesthetic, it was much easier on both man and beast.

I made my own dehorning iron by turning a 3" piece of 1" solid round steel to replicate the tip on the old gas dehorner, and welding an insulated pistol grip to it.
We'd park the acetylene set beside the crush, and use it to very quickly heat the iron. The steel tip held enough heat to do 4 or 5 calves in succession, which we found was about the right number to do in a single batch. By the time you'd administered 10 anaesthetics and heated up the dehorner, the first of them was well numbed and ready to go.

bogman_bass

simx wrote: »

caustic illegal now,unfortunatly Thankfully

Corrected that for ya!

I find the electric iron a great job. once it gets hot it stays hot.
Since coming on here I've learned not to gouge out the horn but just burn around it. Better job altogether. Thanks to whoever thought me that tip!:D

reilig

bogman_bass wrote: »

. Thanks to whoever thought me that tip!:D

+ 1

use a gas portasol myself. Find it gets hotter than an electric one and therefore gets the job done quicker which is less severe on the calf.

bogman_bass

Plug the electric in for 10 minutes and it will literally get red hot. I only used a gas model once admitadly but found it tended to cool down after a calf or two. maybe i used it wrong I dont know

Bizzum

Rovi wrote: »

And it's also illegal to disbud over 2 weeks of age without an anaesthetic, according to the Teagasc guidelines:
http://www.teagasc.ie/publications/2008/20081022/animalwelfareguidelines.asp#Veterinary.

There is something telling me it is indeed illegal, but I can't find the relevant SI.
The above link is only a Teagasc guideline, referencing The Diseases Of Animals Act 1966, which is the old act that Part VI No. 54 restricts the sale and export of horned cattle.
There must be more recent legislation that specifically mentions disbudding?

reilig

bogman_bass wrote: »

Plug the electric in for 10 minutes and it will literally get red hot. I only used a gas model once admitadly but found it tended to cool down after a calf or two. maybe i used it wrong I dont know

Mine only gets hotter the more calves that I do. You leave it lit while you're dehorning and turn it down low and it never loses any temperature. Its great for places that you don't have electricity too. You also don't have to worry about a lead or a plug hanging from it .

Rovi

Bizzum wrote: »

There is something telling me it is indeed illegal, but I can't find the relevant SI.
The above link is only a Teagasc guideline, referencing The Diseases Of Animals Act 1966, which is the old act that Part VI No. 54 restricts the sale and export of horned cattle.
There must be more recent legislation that specifically mentions disbudding?

I did a bit of hunting for the SI that specifies this too, but also with no luck.
That's why I wrote "according to the Teagasc guidelines"

reilig

Rovi wrote: »

I did a bit of hunting for the SI that specifies this too, but also with no luck.
That's why I wrote "according to the Teagasc guidelines"

Well its a rule under the SCWS anyway!

Bizzum

Rovi wrote: »

That's why I wrote "according to the Teagasc guidelines"

I noticed what you wrote alright, I was under no other illusion.
There are things in life we might come across (Albeit rarely!) that proport to be illegal even though no legislation may exist.

In this case there is something nagging me that I did come across a Bye Law, in recent years, that covers disbudding!

But where........

Bizzum

reilig wrote: »

Well its a rule under the SCWS anyway!

It is indeed. But I was specifically enquiring as to the legality of disbudding, or more particularly dehorning, of older animals.

BeeDI

bogman_bass wrote: »

simx wrote: »

caustic illegal now,unfortunatly Thankfully

Corrected that for ya!

I find the electric iron a great job. once it gets hot it stays hot.
Since coming on here I've learned not to gouge out the horn but just burn around it. Better job altogether. Thanks to whoever thought me that tip!:D

I never understand why people think caustic is more cruel than hot iron. Much of a muchness in my opinion.
It's illegal in this country because some waster box ticker in the dept, decided as such, over a cappuccino in his or her ivory tower office.
Same high and mighty, ruler of the little people attitude, brought in the slurry deadlines!!
Explain to me why caustic is perfectly legal north of the border, AND, you can spread slurry, when conditions are good, not when the date on the calendar says so.
By the way, caustic is legal also in Germany, and slurry is not by the say so of a civil servant in Berlin.

Please explain, as I for one don't get it.

Bizzum

I took the bull by the horns (Excuse the pun!) on this issue and have been in contact with the DVO.
In short I spoke to 4 people, ultimately a Vet, and am still none the wiser.
However I'm assured that said Vet is leaving no stone unturned in her quest to enlighten us all..............

Watch this space!!!!!!!!!!!!!!