[Hevxxx99]

I have a gimmer hogg who has horns growing very close to her cheeks.  I think, if left, they will cause a problem so I'm wondering if anyone has any thoughts on how to bend them outwards or other solutions?

I've seen it done with tups: they put hessian sack on the face to protect him and heated the horn with a blow torch until it softened and could bend outwards.  I'm sure it must be horribly painful for the sheep though! I also know the horns can be cut off, but as they contain living tissue and nerve endings, that must also be excrutiating, so I'm looking for other options.

Any thoughts? 

She isn't a show animal, by any means: it's only for her own comfort.

[farmvet]

A photo would help if possible. Usually with females you can just trim the points ( nerves dont go that far down), or saw a slither off the inside of the horn to give more space next to the cheek. With tups your right they are often heated to turn them, or "sets" put on for a while, but you shouldnt need to do that with a ewe.

[Hevxxx99]

I'll try and get a photo.  I've only just got her and she's fairly wild! The horns are quite small at present and not yet causing a problem.  Presumably, if I trim off the just the dead end, it'll need doing regularly as it grows?

[devonlady]

Would it be possible to sandpaper the horns, just enough to keep them away from her cheeks?

[Dogwalker]

Last year I had a welsh wether with one horn growing in too close.
My neighbour farmer cut 2" off the end with loppers.  The sheep didn't seem bothered by it at all

[SallyintNorth]

Yes, trim the ends and yes, she may need it again in due course.  Probably not for another year though, and very rarely once she's full grown. 

You can usually feel the heat in the horn where the blood - and nerves - run, so as long as you make your cut where the horn is cold, you should be fine.

[Hevxxx99]

Ok, thanks all.  I'm not sure I can just remove the tip sadly as the entire horn grows close to her head, not just the ends.

I may have to cut the entire horn off, but I'd much rather find a pain-free solution for the little girl. I'll take a close look tomorrow and see if I can get a photo as well.  As I say, it isn't causing problems at the moment, so not urgent but looking for solutions before it becomes so!

[SallyintNorth]

You can sometimes shave off one side without going deep enough to cause bleeding.  But yes, a pic will help.

[Slimjim]

 I had this problem with a big Jacob tup. Horns growing too close to his cheeks. Not the points, but the main curve on each side. Keen not to harm the lad, I had the vet remove about 3/4 of them after tranquilising him. He used an embryotomy wire with a to and fro motion. £70 thank you very much. After a while they grew back, so with som help, restrained him in a headstock and using a new wire (bought from the vet for £3!) did them myself in a jiffy. No blood - I think the heat generated cauterises as the wire goes through. Be prepared for some smoke and the smell. The key is to not attempt it alone,you must keep the head very still; a halter is not enough and work as fast as you can go with a new wire. Worth a go if you can meet all these. I doubt your ewe has horns with 3" diameter weapons!

[Crbecky10]

We have swaledales, with gimmer hoggs you usually heat them up and bend them out like you said, altough you don't usually use a blow torch, as in you don't use a flame, I can't think of their name but like a hairdryer! If they're causing no problem now, leave them until the horns get bigger and stronger, then saw the ends off with a hacksaw or something similar, if it is the ends causing the problem. If they're just tight bend them out now, as to causing them pain, I don't think it does heating them, it will be a bit uncomfortable, but not like it will be in the long run.