# Dehorning Dexter heifer



## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

How traumatic would it be to have this gal dehorned?
Would banding be an option?


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## Dutchie (Mar 14, 2003)

Why on earth would you want to do that???


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

I do banding here...but it takes months for them to fall off plus you have to give tetus shot...I liked it till i had to do several over....I will cut off now...fast and easy


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

Dexters have such pretty horns. It would be a shame to cut them off.

If you're scared of her horns, consider a breed that doesn't have any horns.


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

> If you're scared of her horns, consider a breed that doesn't have any horns.





> Why on earth would you want to do that???


Ok folks. . .no need to be snide. . .I have great reasons for asking the question. . . 

I have young children and they are used to being around our Jersey - very laid back, hornless, etc. . . and the idea of a cow with horns eye level is a bit scary for them and concerned me some - 
Also, she is already using them in play on my Jersey, and her horns, with head lowered, is udder level. . .

We also pasture with horses, so this may or may not end up an issue with horns. . .

Why did I get her with knowing the above?

Any heifers I'd get out of her will be disbudded early on . . . for a milking breed, as with goats, I prefer no horns . . .BUT I got this heifer plus $200 to boot on a trade for a Nubian buck and two doelings. . .and I felt the deal was too good to pass on since I had been looking for a Dexter as it stood. . .


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

Creamers I get rid of all my horns no matter what.....a tame cow can really hurt you swinging her head to just hit at a fly


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

My neighbor just got kicked in the face by a polled animal. It broke his cheek and knocked out two teeth. It was his pet horse.

The point is, cutting off their horns doesn't make a cow safe for women and small children to be around. They still have feet that can step on you or kick you and a tail that can hurt your eye. A cow is never going to be safe for small children to be unsupervised with.

When putting a little Dexter cow with horses, she's going to be at a major disadvantage. Her best defense from the horses may well be her horns.

Dexters are a horned breed. They've always had some of the most beautiful horns. I'd no more seek out a Dexter with the intent of cutting off her horns than I would seek out a unicorn to dehorn it.

Rather than thinking that you can make a cow safe for children to play with, have them study Temple Grandin's methods for how to be safe around cattle. It works as well with horned or polled cattle. Using these principles, they will be much safer.

http://www.grandin.com/behaviour/principles/flight.zone.html


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

With any animal or any activity, there are risks, it is true, but there are things that make animals and so forth more safe - i.e. helmets when riding even though you can still be killed in other ways, head trauma isn't likely. . . with cattle, I still believe a lack of horns if saf(er). I've already found moving around her swinging her head is certainly more risky than around our Jersey, though the Jersey out weighs her by 400lbs.

This argument that an animal can harm you without horns is true; however, one way they will not cause a problem is with their horns if they are disbudded. . . lol. Eliminates one possible issue, the way I see it. 

Our jersey has been pastured with horses since coming here as a calf and without horns for a long time, and we've never had a problem with the horses bothering her.

Of course, children aren't left unsupervised with cattle/horses/dogs/goats/ roosters - lol!, but the simple fact is they live here and will be exposed to this cow, as they have been to the other - a whip of a head around with a hornless head isn't nearly as dangerous as a horned head. . .it can happen and does with parents standing right there.

We have years of experience with livestock and safety; however, we simply have not ended up with any horned cattle until now.

Horns are attractive in the breed, I agree, but they are impractical here in a dairy animal, just as they are with our dairy goats.

Anyway, my question isn't and was not whether they are harmful - having raised dairy goats for a long while, I know I do not prefer horns - attractive or not, it is whether dehorning is humane. It is truly is NOT - I will not do it and will probably pasture her elsewhere, if we see any issues arise from the horns, for potential beef steers and keep a heifer from her, disbudded, later on for a grass based dairy animal. She was too good a deal to pass up on, horns or no. It is my understanding that the breed isn't faulted if shown without horns, though, correct?

Either way, she was a great deal and we'll keep her


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

Creamers,

I think that it is perfectly acceptable to dehorn your cow even if the breed standard says you shouldnt.

She is young and sturdy. Call the vet out after the flies all die off and have it done humanely. 

The sooner the better.


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## Dutchie (Mar 14, 2003)

Creamers said:


> Ok folks. . .no need to be snide. . .I have great reasons for asking the question. . .
> 
> I have young children and they are used to being around our Jersey - very laid back, hornless, etc. . . and the idea of a cow with horns eye level is a bit scary for them and concerned me some -
> Also, she is already using them in play on my Jersey, and her horns, with head lowered, is udder level. . .
> ...


We weren't being snide. We happen to be Dexter owners and as such are big fans. People specifically pick Dexters for their qualities.

You may want to read up on the breed. They are very gentle and docile and really have nothing to worry about with their horns.

Or trade it for another milk cow without horns.


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

gone-a-milkin said:


> Creamers,
> 
> Call the vet out after the flies all die off and have it done humanely.


Emphasis on "humanely."

If you HAVE to dehorn, please have an experienced vet do it, consider the pain and trauma involved, and be aware that her pregnancy may not survive the procedure.

I didn't see this animal listed with the ADCA. Did you get papers and test results with her? Do you know what bull she's bred to?


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

> I didn't see this animal listed with the ADCA. Did you get papers and test results with her? Do you know what bull she's bred to?


Yes, I have her papers and the bull's papers and reg. numbers.
The are both Dog Run Dexters, which seems to have been breeding reg. Dexters for awhile as the herd name goes 3-4 gen back in the pedigrees of this heifer, the cow my friend purchased and the bull.



> Emphasis on "humanely."


As I repeated many times - the only way I would consider it is IF there is a humane option, folks. . . I repeated this over and over.

I had already talked to my vet about it prior to posting, and he was in the middle on the procedure. He said he does hundreds a year, and he said I probably, knowing me, wouldn't want to do it - I just wanted some cattle folks opinions.



> People specifically pick Dexters for their qualities.


Horns have little to do with why I picked Dexters - with or without, the qualities that commend the bred are still present.



> They are very gentle and docile and really have nothing to worry about with their horns.
> 
> Or trade it for another milk cow without horns.


Jerseys, so far, are as gentle a cow as can be found, and yet I and most people, prefer
them without their horns when used on a small farm as a milk cow. I wanted a Dexter because of their size and ability to be grass only on milk, the horns are irrelevant to the qualities of the breed I liked. 

Also, as I noted, the horns being removed is not faulted in the breed standard for show.

I thank those who have PM'ed me info on dehorning. That was my question. . . and I wish more folks had offered insight into the actual question I posed.


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## Cannon_Farms (Aug 28, 2008)

Id have to be with creamers, no horns here and it would be a shame to miss out on this wonderful breed just because you didnt like horns, and as a promoter and seller of the breed I wouldnt expect that to be a big issue unless they where asking to buy your top show cow and you would want them to enjoy them and feel comfortable. 
However since apparently you cant ethically have a dexter because they should all have horns I will take my money to another breed when I am ready to buy a small milk cow.... I mean really come on, do you think the buyer or breeder has more influence on breed standards in the long run.


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

^^^^^ what they said


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## cowman (Aug 23, 2002)

Don't let those people discouraage you. The cow should be dehorned. It is safe and it will be fast. Don't think those horns are large enough to cause a problem. If they were large then I would probably not recommend it.


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## Allen W (Aug 2, 2008)

Best looking horns I ever saw were laying on the ground at the head of the squeeze chute. If it was mine I would dehorn.


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## G. Seddon (May 16, 2005)

Then buy a polled Dexter or one that has been disbudded before a month of age.

Creamers, you asked for opinions in your original post and they have been offered. Of course, you are free to ignore or consider.

Here's a link to the AVMA's opinion:
http://www.avma.org/issues/policy/animal_welfare/dehorning_cattle.asp


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## Cheribelle (Jul 23, 2007)

I would also dehorn. My vet did my Holstein steer at around a year of age, for $7. YEP, $7.00 for peace of mind, and my mom's peace of mind. No problems.


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## cowkeeper (Feb 17, 2007)

I disbud my calves the first few weeks of age. But I have bought in yearlings that had been allowed to grow horns. The vet took off those horns and with proper anesethic the heifers hardly noticed and healing was uneventful. The late fall is the best time to do it. Dont hesitate. It is not against the breed standard to dehorn a Dexter.ck


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

> Then buy a polled Dexter or one that has been disbudded before a month of age.
> 
> Creamers, you asked for opinions in your original post and they have been offered. Of course, you are free to ignore or consider.


I actually asked, "


> How traumatic would it be to have this gal dehorned?


" - I want to know it will not be major trauma. . . if it will, I'll see how the horns grow out, and not dehorn - sell her once I get a heifer out of her that I will disbud.

My vet charges $110 for cosmetic dehorning - he says no amount of pain killer will totally control the pain, but sometimes he says stuff I've not observed to be exactly the case. I feel cattle people know better, frankly.

Thanks for the opinions and feedback. I do appreciate it.

If the horns get no larger, I'd not worry about these, but her dam had much longer, sharper horns. . . I imagine, as she grows into a cow, we will see these do the same.


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## DWH Farm (Sep 1, 2010)

You could always do this:


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

I'm not going to chime in on whether or not you should de-horn, your question is it painfull~ well...your vet is planning to charge you $110? Maybe he's planning on doing something other than what my vet did. My vet only charged me $20 each, he did give them shots for pain, so according to the vet it hurt me more to watch the procedure than it did for them to have it...they were younger than your cow I think, the horns were smaller...But I just don't know if I could bring myself to do it to them again anyway. It really freaked me out, and I'm not squeamish. It took them months to become friendly again. On the other hand~ there have been several times on or the other hit me with her head and I've been grateful there were no horns there.


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## Cheryl aka JM (Aug 7, 2007)

OMG! I just saw the kong toys on the cows head! Fantastic! LOL!


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## goodhors (Sep 6, 2011)

Cows with horns use them, it is what they do. Horned cattle require more space to keep, since they tend to want a larger "personal space area" and enforce it with their horns. I would have horns removed also, for a pet cow. 

Some folks like horns, but Dexters do come polled now, so going hornless is "a breed choice" you make with no penalties. Our Vet doesn't get out his dehorning equipment for less than $100 even for calves, so I would consider that price being in the ballpark for horn removal.

Neighbor down the road has Highland Cattle, he has been gored SERIOUSLY twice. He says it is his own fault, but without the horns he would not have had holes in him. 

I have dealt with horned cattle in the past, won't own one now. They are purchased hornless or get dehorned after purchase.

If you go to the American Dexter site, there used to be an article about banding horns on a yearling heifer, written by a Dexter breeder. Very detailed, photos included, for removing horns that way. I read it, but would still go with the Vet doing horn removal myself. Over and done faster. He didn't think the heifer was in pain for more than a short time immediately after putting the bands on. Did look like a very clean removal, but required 
after-care to keep the holes clean when the horns fell off. This breeder, John Potter, is promoting several Dexter bulls that are polled, the new "look" of Dexters. He sells semen.

Bad enough to get banged with the skull of a cow swinging to get a fly, but with no horns, there aren't any holes to go with the bruises. People have been working to remove cattle horns for years by improving the breeding. People working with the cattle are more important than horns, so horns will get removed any way possible to make cattle working conditions safer for everyone. I liked my Dexter, but she came dehorned or there would have been a stop at the Vet's to get them removed before she came home.


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

I'm pretty torn - I'm a real softie and vegetarian, as is. . .hard call - you all have given me a lot to consider.


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