# Cutting scurs off



## hardworkingwoman (Jun 4, 2009)

Yesterday my buck that has these big scurs got one stuck in the fence. They are not smooth like horns. One is growing forward and will soon be growing into his head and the other is growing like a horn back but wants to go into his head also. How can I trim these without a lot of pain? or should I just take him to the vet? I think from now on I am just letting the boer horns grow, I really don't like the scurs. The guy that disbudded him for me has experience too. do you think that he will always have this issue?
Thanks!!


----------



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

Unless you have them surgically removed, this buck will always have scurs. You can cut them back, but they will regrow.

You can use a wire saw to cut them.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081210084536AAtolCu


----------



## Rechellef (Oct 5, 2010)

We had to have a full fledged horn removed from our dorper/kahtadin ram because it was growing into his head. Our vet sedated him and cut it to the root and packed the hole with gauze to protect the sinus cavity for 2 weeks. I pulled out the gauze and over time the hole healed, but the horn will never grow back again. It's weird hearing them breath through the hole, but it had to be done and he it doing quite well and all healed now. Just be sure to check the hole periodically and put Blue Kote on it as necessary.


----------



## hardworkingwoman (Jun 4, 2009)

Do you mean the hole is there forever?


----------



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

No, it gradually closes. ASK the vet for cost. Ours said $300, then the bill was $600.


----------



## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

Is there any way you could band it, then after it falls off burn with a disbudding iron with a large tip?? Perhaps roll the iron on it's side burning the entire base? Wonder if that would prevent future growth or just slow it down?

I'm trying to figure out what to do with Sam's head now....he has a scur that looks like a mountain range...its about 2 1/2" long, 1 1/2" wide & 2" tall.....he's been reburned before, scabs came off, left a smooth surface and now this  Dunno if my iron (x30) is even big enough to reburn this.....

I know if I ever buy a bottle buck again, I'll be redoing its head when it comes home just in case....Poor Sam's head has been a huge ordeal


----------



## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

Banding works - 
I clip the tips of scurs with horse hoof nippers without any pain or blood involved, too


----------



## houndlover (Feb 20, 2009)

You can take them off with elastrator bands. It's a pretty common practice. I have successfully taken horns off of full grown goats and scurs, although with bucks have had to do it more than once. The trick is to cut a small groove right at the skin line with a dremel, and then apply two bands. In about 4 weeks the scurs/horns will fall off. We sometimes use the disbudding iron on the stump after the horns fall off. Hoegger's has instructions on their site.

http://www.hoeggergoatsupply.com/info/elastrator.shtml


----------



## Rechellef (Oct 5, 2010)

hardworkingwoman said:


> Do you mean the hole is there forever?


No - the hole does heal. The hole on our ram has closed. Oh and my vet only charged $35 for the removal (plus $44 for the visit, but we had othre animals that needed treatment too).


----------



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

Crystal, how are you going to restrain him for all that?

The vet was here this morning for another issue on my buck, and he used the wire saw, but Sir Guy was sedated!!

I can't imagine doing that AND burning on an awake/aware/strong animal.


----------



## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

just curious, Im not a fan of the dehorning paste but wouldnt that work as well?
I whatever the notion of banding, fourth or filth it I lost track


----------



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

NO NO NO! Not the paste. It can get in their eyes and on the dam's udder.


----------



## LoneStrChic23 (Jul 30, 2010)

Alice In TX/MO said:


> Crystal, how are you going to restrain him for all that?
> 
> The vet was here this morning for another issue on my buck, and he used the wire saw, but Sir Guy was sedated!!
> 
> I can't imagine doing that AND burning on an awake/aware/strong animal.


Alice I have no idea  It's not big enough to band......plus the the shape is irregular....literally like a small mountain range with several peaks. He's 4 months old, 75lbs & no way could I hold him....Would need at least 2 people to hold, one to burn..

Tonkas breeder redid him before I took him, he had one medium sized scur. She burned, used these nippers to cut the center then rolled the iron over it until perfectly flat. Gave him banamine and all was well. She sent new home with 1 1/2 cc of banamine since I can't get any & she wanted to make sure I had extra doses for Tonka, just in case... I still have it so if I find someone to hold I may try doing what she did & give him some banamine for the pain...

I just wonder if I'm fighting a loosing battle? I was so certain he was done, his scabs came off in one piece (first time that ever happened) & it was smooth & white underneath....Now this  

Would call my vet, but he's not much help really, he has a big iron, but doesn't use sedatives or pain meds...Says you don't give banamine to goats.....


----------



## hardworkingwoman (Jun 4, 2009)

Ok so I can band these? Just like houndlover says? I did see the link on this and it says wait until fall. I really don't want to wait that long I think his head hurts. He always wants to rub the top of his head on me like he is in pain. Poor boy, I don't really want him to suffer. I will try to post a picture later today so you can see what I mean.


----------

