# Removing horns..



## Tabitha (Jan 24, 2012)

Guys,
Do you think this goat's horns are too big for bands? I've never done it before. She doesn't really know how to be nice with the horns  I really like her though and wish I could somehow take them off without asking the vet. :shrug:


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

I am sure there will be varying opinions but I have a friend who used bands on 2 adult does with success. This is Angel before and after and the doe behind her is the other one that had horns removed.


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## Utterly Blessed Farm (Dec 21, 2011)

Peggy ~ Do you know how your friend removed the horns? Did she notch them close to the skull then put the bands on that you use for wethering?


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

I banded a couple does horns who were about 2 years old. I just clipped the hair off right below the horn, put the band on just below the hairline. There is actually a little squishy spot just below the horn that the band will tighten into when you put it on. I then put duct tape over the bands to keep them on. Both does horns came off very clean.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I personally think those horns are too big for banding. You'd be taking quite a risk, in my opinion.


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## Goat Lover 98 (Mar 25, 2012)

Do the goats make a lot of noise when the band starts cutting into the live core?


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## Tabitha (Jan 24, 2012)

ptgoats45- how long did it take after you put the bands on? And did you have to change the bands often?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I have a goat with bands on her horns. She is over 6 years old. You need to put a notch around the whole base of the horn. Use a file or OB wire. The band barely fit over the horns of my girl but I was able to do it. Be prepared for it to be months. I banded my girl's horns in October and they still haven't fallen off. They are slowly dying and it is working but just very slowly. I keep a close eye on everything to make sure there is no infection or anything and no problems so far. You need to change the bands every 3-4 weeks. I had to cut off the old bands to put new ones on. Sometimes there was a little bleeding. I do give her a Banamine shot on the day that I change bands because it does hurt. After that though, she doesn't seem to be in any pain.


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Oh... I get nervous when people try to take these horns off at this age. A lot of things go wrong with taking horns off. I just cringe after seeing and reading posts on here of bad problems that have come from taking grown horns off of goats.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I have heard of more problems with taking them to the vet and having them dehorned rather than the banding. I had to band my girl. I was getting hit with them too often and once it just missed my eye. She isn't even using them against me. Just moving around. I will never buy a horned goat again.


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

I am always hesitant to do something that I feel will hurt my goats but also when it is something for their own good in the long run, sometimes it has to be done. I a really a big chicken when it comes to some things. I have a young buckling that needs his horns banded but I am putting it off......

Utterly Blessed Farm-- Yes, my friend notched the horns in 3 spots as close to the horn base as she could and put the little green bands on that you wether the boys with. she put duct tape around ot also so they couldn't rub the bands off. She said it took about 3 to 4 weeks for the horns to fall off.


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## Tabitha (Jan 24, 2012)

So peggy, if it only took a month or so for the horns to fall off than did she change the bands in between? Also, are the notches in the "soft spot" of the horn base? If I clip the hair on my doe, it's a little pink and soft next to the skull. Is this where I notch it? Sorry for all the questions, I'm new at this and don't want to have a mishap..


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

You girl's horns look large enough that I would put a notch all the way around the horn. There are "layers" and you would want to go to the first "layer". Do it as close to the skin as possible. You can use Ambesol or one of the tooth numbing creams on the skin. I found OB wire worked better for my goat than a file. But you do have to be careful when you are "sawing" the notch with the OB wire. 

I'm going to guess that it will take your girl longer than a month for those horns to fall off. Put 2 bands on each horn and change them every 3-4 weeks until the horns fall off. Some say you can put the new bands over the old bands but my girl's horns were too big for that. I had to cut off and remove the old bands before I could put the new bands on.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

If you do decide to band...like I said...the size of the horns...it would be risky. But the notches at the base...I just wanted to mention are quite small...just enough to keep the bands in place...you don't want them too deep. Just a slight notch.


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## firelight27 (Apr 25, 2009)

I'm in the middle of doing this with a doe. She is only two years old I think and her horn is small for her age so I think it is a giant scur that just managed to maintain horn shape. I found a website showing how to do it: http://littlecudchewers.com/Dehorning%2 ... 0Goats.htm

I followed the instructions precisely. The wire is keeping the bands in place very well and the electrical tape is awesome. The whole thing has stayed exactly as I placed it but it has only been a week and I haven't noticed much at this point.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

http://goat-info.com/removing%20horns%20adult.htm

Here is the site that I used. She banded all her goats horns this way. I think she did around 20 goats.


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## Tabitha (Jan 24, 2012)

So I talked with my vet this morning about what I was thinking. He seems to think that it would be easier to remove them with the sawing method. He has done it before and says that it isn't that stressful if you freeze the area first. So now I have some thinking to do about which direction to go.... :roll: I just love this doe and don't want to sell her :? but I also don't want her to hurt my other does......


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

Well, I am no vet but I disagree with him. When you cut off the horns of a goat with a saw, there is a hole into their sinus that has to be kept clean from any hay chafe or infection. This can take a really long time to heal. I would look into it before I entrusted my vet to cut off the horns.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

^^^ It isnt that bad cutting the horn off. BUT I have only done it with a cow. I dont think I could do it to a goat, cant stand the screaming. 
I dont know if this goes on with the band or not, but the cutting, the horn (with a cow, im guessing it would still be the same) will still grow. I had to do this since the horn curled and was going into her jaw, it still grew and is time to do it again, but am thinking about the banding, but not sure. I remember reading a post where the outer shell came off and the goat died from shock. When you 'cut', there is no chance of that going on.


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

I don't know about cow horns but when you saw them off I don't think there is a hole into the sinus cavity like with a goat. So this is the difference. I agree though that if they aren't done correctly that they will grow back.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I have 2 does that I seriously considered banding the horns on.... but the fact that I "humanize" them is what keeps me from doing it...the pain and discomfort they would feel for a long period of time is what stops me.

I chose to keep them horned as kids so it's up to me to keep others safe as well so I use duct tape over the tips and across them.

Sawing horns off a cow is much different because the horns grow from the sides of their heads, with goats growing from the top of the head, it's a direct path to the sinuses


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Ok liz makez sense there on the horns being on top....is this goat picking on other goats or iz she catching you with the horns? Im not sure how they work or if it would work on large horns but i seen in valleyvet that they have horn weights and im guessing it is to make the horns go down. I have a lamancha boer cross and her horns go straight up and im afraid she will get one of my kids in the eye so i have been thinking of trying those or just cutting the tips off. I would do the band or cutting all the horn off but with her is not worth the chance


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I have seen goats with "tipped" horns, they're basically cut at 1/4 inch increments weekly to avoid hitting the quick...pretty much the same way you would trim a dogs nails that are over grown, a little at a time til they are where they should be. This does create a flat horn tip but the danger of a poke is still there, what I would do would be to wrap tape around the tips to create a ball of sorts, electrical tape as well as duct tape works and it does eventually wear off( mine like to deliberately rub their heads on anything to get it off)


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

That is a great idea!!!! I have seen people tape sticks to their horns but I would guess that would still hurt. I wounder if that would work in your case as well Tabitha


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