# Dehorning using elastrator bands?



## Lizzieag (Jul 9, 2007)

I have just acquired the cutest little goat, about 5 months old, with horns. I called my vet about having her dehorned and he said that yes he would/could do it, but recommended that I put elastrator bands on the horns and that the would fall off on their own.

Has anyone tried this? Any tried and true advice?


----------



## Oldntimes (Nov 26, 2006)

I have only tried it with scurs, I did not cut the skin, just placed the band on flesh under the scur. It fell off in about 3-4 weeks. However they do grow back for me.... maybe because I do not cut. I have read that it is very successfull for some folks. I just go back and re band when needed.


----------



## moonspinner (Jul 2, 2002)

Did you secure the band with duct tape? Did you feel the goats were in pain at all?


----------



## debd0712 (Aug 23, 2005)

I have used this method on adult goats with horns. With some it was very successful - you can not tell the difference between them and goats dehorned as kids. With 2, it did not turn out great (they have scurs) - think I did not get the bands low enough. I did wrap the bands with duct tape as they had a tendency to rub their horns on everything, breaking the bands. The tape helped them last longer. I replaced bands as they became worn or broken. The goats seemed to be a bit ouchy in the horn area when the horns were close to coming off, otherwise no noticible signs of pain.

Debbie


----------



## LFmenagerie (Mar 29, 2007)

I picked up some goats with horns also. I am gritting my teeth until I can band them. Sounds like fly season is not the time to band them. I might do them in middle of Aug as the flies are usually disipating by Sept and I believe that the flies are not a problem until the horns start to fall off...and that looks to take about a month or longer depending on the size and/or age of the goat. Please, anyone here let me know if that is incorrect. 
Check out this site.
http://www.greatgoats.com/articles/dehorning_text.html 

It explains someones elses experience and shows great picts on what to do/look for. Looks like the bands have to really get low. I've also heard of people putting on several bands. I'm not sure if I will do that or not, yet. According to the site if the animal is younger it has faster results. Good to know since yours is young. Good luck to us, both!
Pam


----------



## Lizzieag (Jul 9, 2007)

Well I think I am going to give it a try. I will let you know how it goes. My vet said that you can do this anytime and not worry about flies. Since there is no open skin it isn't a problem.


----------



## moonspinner (Jul 2, 2002)

I have a buck kid going on 4 months with scurs that I'm going to attempt too. We can compare notes! Did either vet give any tips or describe the procedure?


----------



## Lizzieag (Jul 9, 2007)

They said not to cut the skin, just to put the band on the horn, where the hair line is. I did it this morning. Picture and tips coming soon!


----------



## Feral Nature (Feb 21, 2007)

LFmenagerie said:


> I picked up some goats with horns also. I am gritting my teeth until I can band them. Sounds like fly season is not the time to band them. I might do them in middle of Aug as the flies are usually disipating by Sept and I believe that the flies are not a problem until the horns start to fall off...and that looks to take about a month or longer depending on the size and/or age of the goat. Please, anyone here let me know if that is incorrect.
> Check out this site.
> http://www.greatgoats.com/articles/dehorning_text.html
> 
> ...


Great link, thanks...I have a doe I am planning to do this winter. That website is very useful


----------



## chamoisee (May 15, 2005)

I've banded a lot of goats, and I don't recommend it. It *is* painful to them over a fairly long period of time, there's a risk of sudden bleeding, weight loss due to being head shy (they don't want to bump the horns), lowered herd status, and it ruins their personalities, makes them flighty and distrustful and reluctant to put their heads in milking stands. 

I've done it enough times (probably 10-20 of them) to know what I'm talking about.


----------



## moonspinner (Jul 2, 2002)

This is really strange because I've heard totally opposite experiences from very reputable goat keepers. Some say their goats took it bad or it didn't work while others report few or no problems and that it was successful. Is it simply a variable experience depending on individual goats or is it a matter of some people being more adept at the process than others?


----------



## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

I have done quite a few that way also. I have had goats act differently each time. Some never seemed to care & others would run from me whenever they saw me after I banded them. I always filed a small notch for the band to go in. Helped it stay in place better. Some came off in a couple of weeks & some took a couple of months. I have one doe now that lost one horn by two weeks & the other is still on after 2 months. I applied more bands & it is still holding on.


----------



## midkiffsjoy (Sep 29, 2005)

I have a doe that I've tried about 5 times to dehorn her with bands. Taped them in place. scored the horn first. Everything...hasnt worked yet. I've given up since one horned goat of mine GORED the living heck outta one of my mom's fav does. I'm gonna just saw those bad boys off. My only questions is should I use the dehorning iron on her afterwards to avoid scurs, or just furzall the spots????

In a diary herd, horns can just really be a bad thing. Even with my meat goats I've had goats get stuck in the fence. Even had one get her head stuck in a log. Then you run the chance of goats using their horns to climb the "herd queen" ladder. sigh. I just really HATE horns!!!!


----------



## chamoisee (May 15, 2005)

You need to have the dehorning iron hot before you start to saw the horn off. I had a really awful time with OB wire...it took too long and the last 1/2" was terrible, because the goat was bleeding all over the place and the wire was all tangled up in her dangling not-quite-detached horn...what a nightmare! If you have to cut off a horn, I feel that the most humane way to go is a Saws All. You will need at least two helpers. Saw while someone is holding the head absolutely still (not even a wiggle!) and then burn the living daylights out of the stump until it quits bleeding, repeat. The ones I've done recovered really quickly...a lot faster than the ones that he vet did surgically.


----------



## LFmenagerie (Mar 29, 2007)

chamoisee said:


> You need to have the dehorning iron hot before you start to saw the horn off. I had a really awful time with OB wire...it took too long and the last 1/2" was terrible, because the goat was bleeding all over the place and the wire was all tangled up in her dangling not-quite-detached horn...what a nightmare! If you have to cut off a horn, I feel that the most humane way to go is a Saws All. You will need at least two helpers. Saw while someone is holding the head absolutely still (not even a wiggle!) and then burn the living daylights out of the stump until it quits bleeding, repeat. The ones I've done recovered really quickly...a lot faster than the ones that he vet did surgically.



A sauldering iron works well to cauterize any bleeders that arise when removing horns if you don't have an electric disbudding iron.
Bleeding, dangling horn - that had to be exausting by the time it was over.
SawsAll? hmm....We tried branch loppers once. Was supposed to just take the tip but the person running the tool didn't know what would happen when a horn is lobbed off. It was only about 1/3 of the horn. A quick snap and the horn is gone but the goat definately needed that saudering iron! She didn't seem to have any problems after and even kidded a month later - we thought she didn't take cause she was meaty and just didn't look bred.
Hopefully this will be our last time at removing horns and a scur.

I talked with someone that has an occasional cow with horns and they have a rachet tool that puts surgical tubing on the horns to band them. I'm working on a deal with them...a bottle of home made wine for each set of horns removed....I think we will be working together soon. :buds: 
Pam


----------

