[Isla]

Kids delivered 3pm on Monday and they're booked in to be disbudded at 2.30pm on Thursday. This was simply the time and date suggested when I phoned vet. BGS site says do it between 2 and 7 days. The vet carrying it out has been recommended by local goatkeepers. But the kids are so tiny (now 24 hours old)! Will they really be robust enough at 3 days old?

[Buttermilk]

Yes.

[Anke]

As long as they are done under gas/air they should be fine and if the vet is experienced and was recommended by other goatkeepers than you are hopefully in good hands.

Be prepared for the kids to be a gruesome looking, but if you can pop them in with their dam for a couple of hours afterwards (if you are intending to take them off her and milk her) she will do a good job of cleaning them up somewhat. Most of mine will be playing within a couple of hours afterwards again.

Also make sure the vet gives LA antibiotic (as a precaution it is justified in this instance, as he is creating quite a big open wound) and also a painkiller (mine uses flunixin) is really helpful. Also good time to get any boys ringed (my vet doesn't charge for it and as they are out of it he can make sure all is done properly).

[Isla]

Thanks both. Yes the males are booked in for castration at the same time.

[Penninehillbilly]

I always feel they are still too delicate as well.
I took 4 in yesterday, 6 and 7 days old 2 x 2sisters, difference in horn growth was amazing. She said the tiny ones (boer) were easy, but the dairy cross with stronger horn growth she had to finish off with a scalpel. Not a pretty sight but I have enough problems with the 2 horned boers, not aggressive but caught me a couple of times by accident.

[fsmnutter]

I find the sooner they are done, the less regrowth of scurs I have had.
They are asleep and awake very quickly with gas.
I never use antibiotic, only blue spray and an anti inflammatory injection for pain.

[mart6]

Anyone see The Yorkshire vet on channel 5 last night 25/4/2017 ?
Great program and a proper old school vet vet imo
Showed disbudding or Boer/cross goats
Could be wrong they looked older than a week old to me ?

See it on catch up here ,you may have to register to view
think its at around 49 min mark
https://www.my5.tv/the-yorkshire-vet/season-4/episode-2

[cuckoo]

I get any kids i want dibudding done at 4 days old. My vet does it using local anaesthetic. Ony get golden guernseys done as keep horns on the boers. Bit of blue spray and they are fine

[Isla]

Well of course it all went well and they all appeared after the procedure as if nothing had happened.  You'd never have known if it weren't for the blue spots.  I didn't catch the Yorkshire Vet but my neighbour did and when she popped down to 'admire the babies' she said, "Oh I saw disbudding on TV the other night!" so I found that pleasing that non goat keepers may have had a little insight.

[Isla]

Heather

[fsmnutter]

I get any kids i want dibudding done at 4 days old. My vet does it using local anaesthetic. Ony get golden guernseys done as keep horns on the boers. Bit of blue spray and they are fine

Out of curiosity do you know what local anaesthetic they are using and at what dose rate?
All my sources have screamed not to use local as there is such a thin line between therapeutic and toxic doses.
Thanks

[mart6]

I get any kids i want dibudding done at 4 days old. My vet does it using local anaesthetic. Ony get golden guernseys done as keep horns on the boers. Bit of blue spray and they are fine

Out of curiosity do you know what local anaesthetic they are using and at what dose rate?
All my sources have screamed not to use local as there is such a thin line between therapeutic and toxic doses.
Thanks

Vet mentioned not using local on goats on tv program

[cuckoo]

Out of curiosity do you know what local anaesthetic they are using and at what dose rate?
All my sources have screamed not to use local as there is such a thin line between therapeutic and toxic doses.
Thanks
[/quote
Hi. Not off top of my head but can find out.
They are vets to a very large goat farm so disbud many many kids a year so are very proficient.

[Buttermilk]

When we were using local anaesthetic for disbudding kids it was lignocaine with adrenalin.