I know alot of you use the Rhinehart dehorning irons. I need to purchase an iron for my very few goats....(I only have 2 pregnant does this year)

Is the X-30 iron big enough to do a good job?

There is quite a price difference between it and the X-50--- $$52.95 vs $78.85.

-- Tracy (zebella@mindspring.com), February 23, 2002

Answers

Tracy: We purchased a Rhinehart last year and got the X-50 for basically one reason that I don't want to ever have to buy a bigger one, just in case we end up with calves. We got ours from Hoeggers and I think the goat tip came with it? Anyway, check around and see if you can get it at a better price. You might go over to the Dairy Goat forum and ask there. The X-50 works great, I know that.

-- Marie in Central WA (Mamafila@aol.com), February 23, 2002.

Tracy...I use a Lenk 125. I've had it for five years now and usually disbud 8 to 12 of my own kids...not to mention the occasional kids that friends might bring over. It will take an additional minute or two to reheat between burnings, but it's also lots cheaper! I've never had a scur grow back on a doeling. Sometimes I've had to reburn a wether or a buckling. But only one burn!

-- Marcia (HrMr@webtv.net), February 23, 2002.

We use the X-30 and it works great! It heats up in about 10min. and it gets really red and glowing hot. We have/had 7 does pregnant this year and the kids that we did 3wks ago have nice smooth little round places. We actually disbudded another kid earlier tonight. We've been really pleased with it. Also, we only paid $45 for ours from this goat supply distributer: http://goatsupplies.netfirms.com

-- Sharon in AL (Sharonspaws@aol.com), February 23, 2002.

I have worked my way thru the various dehorners in the past 25 or so years the X-50 has given us the most years of service have been using the one we have now for about 7 years we do a lot of kids 40+ last year. it's a little more money to start,but we have had very good results and it stays hot so you always get a good job...ron

-- ron in n.y. (ronmister@hotmail.com), February 24, 2002.

Hi Tracy, We use the X30 and have for the last 5 years and it has served us well. Just make sure it's good and hot. Always test on a piece of wood to make sure and give it a minute or so to reheat between burning.

-- sherry in Arkansas (chickadee259@yahoo.com), February 24, 2002.

Nobody ever mentions the caprine supplies $15 iron, we bought one backwhen we couldn't afford a good iron, and now we prefer it. You do need a propane torch and map gas. It heats so fast between burnings and only needs 5 seconds to burn. No scurs. I think about getting an electric on occasion. Then I remember they take longer to burn, and I shudder. Little goats are so sweet 2 or 3 seconds of less pain is worth it.

-- Sherrie R Clifton (BryrPatch35@aol.com), February 24, 2002.