Broken horn - The Accidental Smallholder

Posted: Sunday 7 November, 2010

by Rosemary at 8:46pm in Cattle 1 comment Add your own

Blizzard has broken her horn :-( The vet was here on Friday to jag them with a hormone to bring them into season and therefore abort any calf they might be carrying. He had a look at the horn and it's broken. So it has to come off. Because of the time of year - no flies - it can wait a few weeks while we work on the halter training.

We've decided to have both removed. We may also have Breeze's removed too. Unless there is a very good reason not to, we will probably have future calves disbudded. The horns are a pest - although not very big, they can give us and the other calf a good dunt in the ribs. And I'm always worried that they get caught up and broken. Not looking forward to the procedure but we think it's for the best.

Both calves seem fine after their injection. The vet was great - very helpful, and gave us lots of information about BVD, IBR and Johnes - which we shouldn't have a problem with. He also reckoned the byre was fine for the two - we would be very, very unlucky if either caught pneumonia.

I'm going to ring a local farmer who shows Herefords and Charolais to get halter training tips - and her stockman makes proper rope halters. The cotton ones I bought might be OK for trained beasts but are no good for the training itself. Another lesson learned!