[Hillhead]

Can anyone give some advice please.
 
We have three castrated pygmy goats approx 6 years old.  Two of them have horns.
We were led to believe the horns would not grow as they had been castrated, however one of the goats horns have in the last few months grown quite long and have started to curl up over his nose.  My question really is can these be cut off now and if so are they likely to bleed.  Is it a job for the vet or something our farmer friend can do and if so what is the best thing to use to cut them with.
 
Thanks in advance for any help.
 

[Dogwalker]

Assuming pygmy goats are the same as other kinds, and wait for other opinions in case I'm wrong.
You can use a horn wire saw as used for cow and sheeps horns. 
If you're farmer friend hasn't got any send me your address and I'll post you some,  I had to buy a roll last year to do one of my angoras horns and there alot on a roll.
Your friend can probably do it but you'll need to hold the goat very firmly.
It shouldn't bleed if you only trim a bit.  You should be able to feel it warmer near the head where the blood vessels are. The end part is solid and can be cut safely.

[fsmnutter]

As a vet, maybe I can help with what you can do.
Horns can be removed at the base, but this must be done by a veterinary surgeon, who will use the appropriate pain relief and anaesthetics. Goat horns are more dangerous to remove than cattle horns due to a different nerve supply and the thinness of the skull at the base of the horn, such that untrained people can cause damage to the brain by chopping or burning the horns off.
If the horns are growing into the skin and likely to cause pain, you or your farmer friend can chop the tip of the horn off, where it has no nerve supply, generally done using a piece of embryotomy wire, which saws through the horn like cheesewire.
http://www.rcvs.org.uk/news-and-events/news/position-on-the-disbudding-of-goats-clarified/
Hope that helps
Suzanne

[ballingall]

Hi Hillhead,


The people who sold them to you have been irresponsible to claim that castrating would stop the horns growing! I wouldn't suggest disbudding them now, they are too old to go through the experience. However, as others have said, you can wire off the ends which are curling round and rubbing on their faces. I would say you do need to do this ASAP, as it must be causing discomfort.


Beth

[jinglejoys]

 I can't believe the pratts that told you that!!!!!!!
     I've had an adult dehorned but as said goats are not cows (As many a vet has found out when doing kids) and it needs to be done by a vet at that age.If you can deal with loving with the horns then just nip off the tips although I have heard of sheep farmers bending rams horns using a boiled turnip! I don't know whether a vet could use the same principle to bend goats horns.
    Sounds like your goats horns are growing completely in the wrong direction (Down and in?) in which case this is either a freak case or someone has already tried disbudding and made a hash of it (And as the "cut" off date for vets disbudding pygmies is far to eartly this could be the case)

[tizaala]

Sounds like a scur, (regrowth after dis-budding) they usually grow deformed and need to keep an eye on it as it will keep growing . It is possible to train the direction of growth by softening the horn with a cloth soaked in boiling water, but be extra careful not to scald the animal. The only practical use for Pygmy goats is service to the leather industry, but that's just my biased opinion .

[jinglejoys]

Heck Tizaala Pygmy goats are a meat goat