Dehorning Suckler Calves

ABitofsense

When we were in dairy it was a lot easier to debud (no mothers, easier handled calves, typically ~ week old) and now that we have transitioned into sucklers, i'm just wondering how lads typically do it? When? Most of my herd are AAx so no horns but we have calved a number of LMx heifers this year and i can see a couple of small buds on one or two calves. They would be from 1 week - 3 weeks old now.

Lady Haywire

I use the injection & gas dehorner on calves in the shed if they are born with strong enough horns (about 2 weeks of age I'd do it) but I don't scoop out the bud. But if a calf is born outside I'll use the paste at a couple of days old. Just avoids having them too strong when they do actually get into the yard to do them.

Dunedin

I do all suckler calves at less than one week. Just ring around the bud as opposed to scooping out - easier on man and beast as no bleeding.

They’re easier done when younger but can be be hard to find the bud but you will get it if they’re there.

Being doing this for years

Sugarbowl

Does the paste not prevent them growing completely?

Lady Haywire

Sugarbowl wrote: »

Does the paste not prevent them growing completely?

It does. Maybe I worded that a bit weird. If the calf won't be in the shed for a couple of months (i.e. born outside in April/May) I'll get it lying down outside at a couple of days old and use the paste and tag them. Otherwise by the time they're brought in, the horn/calf is too strong to burn.

patsy_mccabe

I do a good few here for myself and a few neighbours. They all want the buds taken out completely. I inject everything too with 3cc of adrenacaine on each side. Allow up to 5 mins to take effect. Cut hair too beforehand. Aluminium spray then.
My own calves are mostly limousin breeding and I find 4 weeks for bulls and 5 weeks for heifers to be ideal time. I like there to be some growth there before taking off.
Express Gas dehorner is a godsend compared to the old electric one I had.

Hard Knocks

Lady Haywire wrote: »

I use the injection & gas dehorner on calves in the shed if they are born with strong enough horns (about 2 weeks of age I'd do it) but I don't scoop out the bud. But if a calf is born outside I'll use the paste at a couple of days old. Just avoids having them too strong when they do actually get into the yard to do them.

Can you get the paste?
Co-op has the gel & it’s a disaster, weanlings with a bud appearing

charolais0153

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I do a good few here for myself and a few neighbours. They all want the buds taken out completely. I inject everything too with 3cc of adrenacaine on each side. Allow up to 5 mins to take effect. Cut hair too beforehand. Aluminium spray then.
My own calves are mostly limousin breeding and I find 4 weeks for bulls and 5 weeks for heifers to be ideal time. I like there to be some growth there before taking off.
Express Gas dehorner is a godsend compared to the old electric one I had.

Same as that, the new gas handheld one is a dream, 3-4 weeks usually, would do them younger if they had a bud,

longgonesilver

Those of us not using an anaesthetic are complying with the law and dehorning under fourteen days old,

endainoz

Paste can be got from farm suppliers online up north. Dr Larson's dehorning paste is the one I use. Get them done between 1 and 10 days old.

tanko

Lady Haywire wrote: »

I use the injection & gas dehorner on calves in the shed if they are born with strong enough horns (about 2 weeks of age I'd do it) but I don't scoop out the bud. But if a calf is born outside I'll use the paste at a couple of days old. Just avoids having them too strong when they do actually get into the yard to do them.

Found a cow calved a ZAG heifer calf on the out farm last week, went home, got tags, sneaked up on calf, held him down to tag, calf roars, world war three breaks out, surrounded by six cows going beserk, drop taggers and beat a hasty retreat to the nearest ditch. Won't be trying that again:o

Lady Haywire

tanko wrote: »

Found a cow calved a ZAG heifer calf on the out farm last week, went home, got tags, sneaked up on calf, held him down to tag, calf roars, world war three breaks out, surrounded by six cows going beserk, drop taggers and beat a hasty retreat to the nearest ditch. Won't be trying that again:o

You weren't sneaky enough :P That roar is the devil alright, brings all the cows within a mile radius.

patsy_mccabe

tanko wrote: »

Found a cow calved a ZAG heifer calf on the out farm last week, went home, got tags, sneaked up on calf, held him down to tag, calf roars, world war three breaks out, surrounded by six cows going beserk, drop taggers and beat a hasty retreat to the nearest ditch. Won't be trying that again:o

I nearly got killed in a situation like that before. Complete looper of a freshly calved heifer in the field at the time. Calf (not hers) was in deep in a hedge. I was checking it to see it if had drank after just being born. When the calf roared, I legged it out of the hedge only to see the bitch coming full speed down the field. She even passed where the calf was to get me.
If I wasn't quick thinking enough, I'd still be with the calf and she would have got me.

Lady Haywire

That's why I prefer to calve indoors. If they're out I try to push the calf under the mains fence & tag it there, always do the sample one only if have to tag outside.

oneten

endainoz wrote: »

Paste can be got from farm suppliers online up north. Dr Larson's dehorning paste is the one I use. Get them done between 1 and 10 days old.

do you separate the calf from the cow for a bit or is there any need to ?

tanko

oneten wrote: »

do you separate the calf from the cow for a bit or is there any need to ?

You'd be as well separate them for a couple of hours or the cows will just lick it off.

endainoz

oneten wrote: »

do you separate the calf from the cow for a bit or is there any need to ?

Yeah cow and calf are separated for at least half and hour but generally a bit longer. I don't dehorn this way anymore as it's not allowed in the organic scheme, but when I did it before I had no issues with it.

390kid

Hard Knocks wrote: »

Can you get the paste?
Co-op has the gel & it’s a disaster, weanlings with a bud appearing

We found that ourselves here with the gel if you give the bud a quick rub of sandpaper before you put it on it seems to sort that out

Hard Knocks

390kid wrote: »

We found that ourselves here with the gel if you give the bud a quick rub of sandpaper before you put it on it seems to sort that out

Always do that
It just runs more
Used the paste for years with no issue

Hard Knocks

tanko wrote: »

Found a cow calved a ZAG heifer calf on the out farm last week, went home, got tags, sneaked up on calf, held him down to tag, calf roars, world war three breaks out, surrounded by six cows going beserk, drop taggers and beat a hasty retreat to the nearest ditch. Won't be trying that again:o

You’re very lucky
Heard of a man recently airlifted after a cow attacked when tagging
Be safe