Hey group, I looked though the other disbudding questions and couldn't find an answer to this one. Why is it when I burn I sometimes get a little leaking (oozing)on the outer ring of the burn? Not blood just a little serum-like oozing? And on some I get alittle white peeking though. Is this the skull? Have I burned too long? And how hard should you press when disbudding? Thanks for your time.

-- Pamela Smith (pmsmith@hevanet.com), March 27, 2002

Answers

I'll answer what I know....but I haven't even disbudded myself yet. last year Becky showed me and explained it as we went along. The leaking is plasma, not too worry...the white stuff...?, got me, maybe burned too long, pressing, you don't really press you roll the iron around and let it do the work.

As to the pressing, there may be some necessary if the goat has actual nubbins to go through. That's all I know!!!

-- Doreen (animalwaitress@yahoo.com), March 28, 2002.

I sometimes get the white too, especially in the middle, where I've pried the horn cap off. I exert some pressure, but not a lot, the heat of the iron does most of the work. I do rotate and turn the iron to make sure that I get the edges really well. If there is bloood, I burn longer. The serum oozing- I noticed this on two of the kids, I thought maybe I hadn't burned them well enough? Will be interesting to find out more about this.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), March 28, 2002.