[tattycat]

As stated.  I hate it. However I now have 2 girls with horns and know first hand the problems with horns.
BUT there's the pre kidding worries, the post kidding worries, the are they suckling nd has mom cleared out properly THEN you have to go burning holes in the little heads. Poor babies. One of my little girls runs away every time she see's me now nd hides behind Mom....nd I didn't debud her.....

[jaykay]

I'm so glad Old English (and my rescued pygmies) keep their horns. Never had a problem with them. You have to be 'horn-aware' but that's all. I'd hate disbudding too!

[Anke]

As stated.  I hate it. However I now have 2 girls with horns and know first hand the problems with horns.
BUT there's the pre kidding worries, the post kidding worries, the are they suckling nd has mom cleared out properly THEN you have to go burning holes in the little heads. Poor babies. One of my little girls runs away every time she see's me now nd hides behind Mom....nd I didn't debud her.....

Actually that's not my experience at all - mine come back from the vets and go back in with mum for a few hours again - the dam usually makes a really good job of cleaning up any leftover dried blood etc, and they are back to chasing around as soon as they have a belly full of milk.

If the vet knows what they are doing there should be no problems.

[Daisys Mum]

I will be disbudding mine and as they are pygmys getting the vet to take care of any male bits that need removing.

[ScotsGirl]

Well I will definitely not be disbudding again. Cost about £25/head and all bar one have grown back worse than if left. Been stuck in stock net and even more difficult to remove than if they had normal horns. I was impressed with vets handling of them and they were back with mums within a couple of hours but results are poor.


The only one successful was likely not to have grown horns as her brothers have no sign of horns coming through and mum looks like she didn't either. 

[Anke]

Well I will definitely not be disbudding again. Cost about £25/head and all bar one have grown back worse than if left. Been stuck in stock net and even more difficult to remove than if they had normal horns. I was impressed with vets handling of them and they were back with mums within a couple of hours but results are poor.


The only one successful was likely not to have grown horns as her brothers have no sign of horns coming through and mum looks like she didn't either. 

That suggests that the vet was inexperienced. I have very rarely any regrowth, and if I do it is loose bits that get knocked of when they have some disagreements....

My billy kid last year (coming to me disbudded from down south), had to go back to the vets for a second disbudding and (despite being intact, which normally means really strong growth of scurs) has not had anything growing back since.

[tattycat]

Anke. You must be really lucky with your vet!!
Mine went to vet last year, they took 4 and 5 hours to come out of anesthetic, breathing was REALLY shallow, nd me nd mom quite freaked out!! Then got substantial horn growth...
Then friend went to same vet. Told about the time it took for mine to come out of anesthetic, took her one nearly 12 hrs to come round, mum nearly rejected it.....and yes, horn growth again..
Has anyone used the paste?

[ScotsGirl]

Mine were back round in about 10 mins. Sedative given then antidote after done. She was confident this was her area of expertise and I changed vets as thought they would be better and cheaper. Now don't know what to do

[LouiseG]

My vet gases them down so very quick, no injections etc. and as soon as he turns the gas off they come straight back round with nothing left in their system. Never had any problems with the disbudding I have more problem getting them back off the nurses who need to cuddle them to make up for the nasty vet man 

[Lesley Silvester]

My vet is good. The kids are conscious by the time they come back through to the waiting room and leaping around as soon as they are out back in with mum. (once they've fed,[size=78%] [/size][/size]of course)[size=78%]

[Anke]

My vet gases them down so very quick, no injections etc. and as soon as he turns the gas off they come straight back round with nothing left in their system. Never had any problems with the disbudding I have more problem getting them back off the nurses who need to cuddle them to make up for the nasty vet man 

Yes doing them under gas is brilliant - quick and they do come round as soon as finished.

[Sbom]

Mine have a small jab, buds out, vaccination given and are coming round as soon as it's done, takes no more than five minutes and cost less than £35 for three 
We have a few goat dairy herds round here so vet is very experienced, will only have him do them from now on.
My mums vet however charged a fortune and they all had considerable re growth 

[Penninehillbilly]

takes no more than five minutes and cost less than £35 for three 
My mums vet however charged a fortune and they all had considerable re growth 

Gosh, mine were £35 each!
one is OK, but one was very slow to come round, in fact vet came out to our van where i had her in my arms and gave her another injection (can't think of the name - sort of gives them a bit of a boost?). All the way home I held her in my arms, I kept thinking she'd died, then she'd lift her head and give an awful bleat. She's never really got going, now seems to cough and choke when she suckles, and doesn't seem to take much at a time. all started from that disbudding.
 
So do other vets still use gas torch and (red?) hot metal disbudder? (wasn't allowed to see it done).
chap I knew who had had goats for many years used an electric unit, did a much better job, sadly not allowed to now  .

[ballingall]

Prices seem to vary quite a lot I have noticed.

We use an electric unit, prefer it as the temp is constant. Not heard that these can't be used? However I do think they are hard to get hold of now.

Beth

[Sbom]

Mine used a gas disbudder and I stayed the whole time