# Dehorning adult cows?



## opportunity (Mar 31, 2012)

I've been running cattle 10 years now and have been in the same set up since summer 2010. I'm now in a position where some of the people I pasture with in the summer want my animals to have no horns at all. These same people bough an "Angus" bull that throws calves with horns from their "Angus" cows but they sell them at weaning so it doesn't matter. I have Highland cows, a 10 year old, two 4 year olds and a 3 year old. I also have an 8 year old Jersey. I have dehorned all the cross breed animals when born and also have Angus in my herd (so currently 10 with no horns). I have not been able to find another pasture so need to consider the total horn removal. Is it even possible/safe to remove horns of this size from the animals?


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## wannabfishin (Jan 31, 2014)

would it be enough just to cut the tips off, that would be a better option


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Dehorning is a traumatic and messy business with any cattle, but especially adults. Have their cattle suffered any injuries? I'd do everything I could to find another place for your cattle (your county ag agent might be of help? local agric. co-op, feed stores, etc.) and get the arrangements in writing. Here's some information about dehorning from the AVMA. Sorry you have to deal with this. 

https://www.avma.org/KB/Policies/Pages/Castration-and-Dehorning-of-Cattle.aspx


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## opportunity (Mar 31, 2012)

Tipping is not ok with the individual who is "in charge" he want the entire horn removed. I have been very opposed to removing the horns as there has been no injury to anyone or anything that can be attributed to the horns. I had an aggressive cow but she went in the freezer last year I do not want anything that is not safe for my kids to be around. I have been looking for another pasture since June 2016 but I have been unable to locate anything that is close. I have three options at this point sell them, remove all horn, or over graze my 8 acre hay field and buy hay.


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## CIW (Oct 2, 2007)

A guy over in Kansas has a banding machine that is used to band mature animals. It can also be used to dehorn mature animals. You apply the band below the horn cap at the base of the skull. In a couple of months
the horn falls off.
It looks clean. This seems to be a lot less invasive.
It costs about $300 for the applicator and $2.75 for the bands.
Callicrate bander. Go to callicratebanders.com and take a look.


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## opportunity (Mar 31, 2012)

I actually have the callicrate bander we have used it but the horns have grown back (they didn't look very nice) or not fallen off. We also had one bleed quite a bit when the horn finally fell off. The cows seem to be able to get the bands off by rubbing on stuff they break and then we have to redo it. We have used duct tape and gorrilla tape to hold them on.


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## Ziptie (May 16, 2013)

We dehorned an adult cow for one of my collage classes. I am not a squeamish person but it was one of the few times I have become light headed (I wasn't the only one).

She stood in the head gate, we blocked the nerves, she didn't mind, but lots and lots of blood. Looked like someone dropped a red jello mold on the ground when we were done. There was quite a big hole in the middle of the horn going into ...the sinus cavity if I remember right. I would be really worried about flys and infections. In our case she was going to be staying in the barn for awhile. 

If your going to do it. It would probably best to be done in the fall/winter.


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## Alice In TX/MO (May 10, 2002)

It is awfully traumatic on the cow. I do not recommend any of the processes.


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## Empire (Jan 7, 2016)

I'd find a new place to graze cattle if given your options. Even if you take off the horns, sounds like the boss will just come up with something else to complain about. Most areas of the country have land that can be rented for pasture. You aren't milking dairy animals on a commercial scale so I'd say marginal land could even be utilized. May have to cough up rent money, or pony up the cash and buy land.


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## MO_cows (Aug 14, 2010)

I would sell them before I would put them thru that. The older they are, the bigger the horn bases, the bigger the hole in their skull, the more traumatic an injury it makes to remove the horns. 

The best way to deal with horns is burn them at a few weeks of age when they are just buds. Briefest physical pain, they are over it soon as they find mama and nurse. Or if they have to be "surgically" dehorned, get them by weaning time when they still don't have much base. Once the animal and its horns are mature, just tip off the sharp points if you must. 

Horns are more than defense. Because they have blood supply, they also provide a way to release excess heat. Those hairy Highland cows need all the help they can get if you live where it gets hot in the summer. 

Is the person you rented pasture from doing a "bait and switch" on you? When you entered the agreement, did they specify polled cattle? Anything in writing? And if their cattle are growing horns, then their black cattle aren't Angus. Pure Angus cattle are homozygous polled. They might throw a red one once in a great while, but shouldn't be able to produce horns.


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## farmerjan (Jan 9, 2017)

Agree with MO Cows. If they are pure angus, then they won't have horns. And in 99% of the cases, if a polled bull breeds a horned cow, the first generation is all polled although some will carry a recessive for horns.
I would check the agreement first, and if there is nothing in there about the horns I would make a bit of an issue about it. Most Highlands are not bad dispositioned. They will drive off coyotes with their horns.
Sounds like to me that they are wanting to have more pasture for themselves, and this is only the first step to getting you out. 
I would not dehorn the adult cows if they are not using them to hurt other animals. It is traumatic even with a vet doing them with nerve blocks etc. 
If your cows mean alot to you, I would move them to your own place, "overgraze it" and buy hay to feed. Also, split it up into smaller sections and rotational graze it and you can keep more animals than you would if you gave them the whole thing in one piece. I would keep trying to find another place too. Maybe cut down on the number for a little while til you can find some other place.


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

Done many, put a baling string around both horns with 1 wrap around each and tighten like a tourniquet, cut off with a guillotine type dehorner. If you have never done it before I would recommend a vet. Sometimes you need to pull a bleeder or two. Use lots of blood stop powder. Make sure and get very close, would need to trim hair on them first. They would need to be kept in for a while, out of the weather or the cavity filled over with something, we used warm tar. Best done in early spring or late fall....James


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## jwal10 (Jun 5, 2010)

You need an electric dehorner for calves and do it early....James

https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e07ade-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5


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## opportunity (Mar 31, 2012)

jwal10 said:


> You need an electric dehorner for calves and do it early....James
> 
> https://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e07ade-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5


 I have the electric dehorner and use in on the calves but it does no good on adults I bought, nore the registered cows that needed horns to possibly be shown.


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## farmerjan (Jan 9, 2017)

jwal10 said:


> Done many, put a baling string around both horns with 1 wrap around each and tighten like a tourniquet, cut off with a guillotine type dehorner. If you have never done it before I would recommend a vet. Sometimes you need to pull a bleeder or two. Use lots of blood stop powder. Make sure and get very close, would need to trim hair on them first. They would need to be kept in for a while, out of the weather or the cavity filled over with something, we used warm tar. Best done in early spring or late fall....James


This is the way our vet friend does them too, with the baling string as a tourniquet. He will also do a nerve block and they seem to do better because they will go back to eating quicker. Put gauze in the cavity and 24 hours later usually take off the baling string. Keep them away from any "overhead" hay racks etc so they don't get stuff in them and in a few days they go about their business. We always do them in late fall & winter, before flies start coming out in mar/april.


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