I have a little twelve week old Nubian buck that we disbudded at six days, and got the nice copper ring. But now he is getting little pointy horns, and I am thinking of starting over. Do I need to cut off the little horns before I burn this time, and if so, what is the best way to do that? Or is it even something I could do myself?

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), April 03, 2002

Answers

I've always heard to shave off/burn down the bud flat before reburning. I am definitely going to disbud myself next time. First I had a goat keeper with 25 years experience (and a show judge as well) do one of mine and he had regrowth in a short time. Next I tried a livestock vet, catching the horn buds very early, yet growth returned as well. Heck, if the buds keeping growing in again, I may as well do it myself. I couldn't do any worse!

-- Lynn (moonspinner@bluefrognet.net), April 03, 2002.

Plug in the dehorning iron and have it good and hot. Then cut off the little horns with a saw and burn quickly, the burning will stop the bleeding. Do one side at a time.

-- Rebekah (daniel1@itss.net), April 03, 2002.

This is my year for having to disbud 2 times! I had to reburn all three bucklings and now 2 of my doelings need one side done again! If you catch it early enough you can reburn like it was just a nub. I did a bunch of nubians and some alpines for a friend and only one of her little alpines, a buckling needed to be touched up. Go figure.

-- shari (smillers@snowcrest.net), April 03, 2002.

A friend of our's showed us how to disbud our Nubian baby's its very easy to do.... Shave first so as to see the bud then burn till you see the copper ring or white ring stoping and looking as you go till you reach the right color. then after that is done you take your burner and touch the top of the horn bud then take the tip and dig out the center of the bud till it's all flat and even surface and your done (no scurs!) we have never had a problem with scurs since she showed us how to do it that way. hope this helps! Thank's Lenna~

-- Lenna M Schaefer (sassie@gci.net), June 29, 2002.

I am sorry I forgot to say in the above message. we disbud at 5 - 7 day's old its so much better the younger they are. Thank's.

-- Lenna (sassie@gci.net), June 29, 2002.

DO THE JOG OVER AGAIN

-- CHARITY NICOLE LONG (CHARITYNLONG@AOL.COM), January 28, 2003.