# Trimming scurs?



## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

Hi ! 
I have a three month old buck and an eight month old doe that have very small scurs. Both of them have a scur that is growing down toward their heads. Is there a way to trim the scurs back without hurting the kids?i don't want the scurs to puncture the skin. Worrisome. 
Thanks for any advise you can give me. 
Susan


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

You can either reburn or trim them just like you would feet, cut with hoof trimmers when you see pink, stop.
But a good reburn will be better in the long run.


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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

Thank you Nancy. I'm not set up to do disbudding here yet. I may ask my breeder about returning though. Trimming sounds like a good option that I can handle. I'm sure they won't be too happy about it though. LOL!


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Good idea about returning to have it done again. Even experts can do a not so complete job now & then.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Still young enough to wire saw the scurs off and then re burn em.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Dr Keck at Dallas Animal Hospital has done a couple reburns for me. He's not too bad at the job and relatively inexpensive.


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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

Thank you for your replies. Jill,I really like the idea of having a vet to it. I will get in touch with dr. Keck. I've been following the chat thread and I'm so sorry to hear about your doe. Your babies are beautiful. 


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## chloes (Feb 14, 2014)

Their is lots of ways people have come up with to get rid of horns or scures but what ever you do don't saw them off! I've herd of people who have tried it and they ended up in a puddle of blood....
some say you can band them like you would weathering a goat but they also said that twards the end, they tend to bump them too hard and they fall of prematurly. They are said to not come back though when you do it that way.
I agree on reburning them if possible or tacking them to the vet.


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Chloes is correct in that you do not saw off full horns. Not only is it going to bleed but you will be left with a gaping whole down into their sinus cavity. We had a vet remove the horns on a 2 month old buckling before and will never do it again.

With that said, wire sawing off scurs (unless they are nearly horn width) is more then ok to do. Width of scur will often depict the amount they will bleed but is easy to stop with a disbudding iron. But seeing how you will have the vet to it, all will be good. He will wire saw em off and burn em.


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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

Thank you, I have decided to just trim off the very end to keep it from poking into their little heads. I don't show so I'm not worried about taking the scurs completely off. I don't want to put them through the burning process. They are kinda babied


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## TDG-Farms (Jul 12, 2013)

Its going to hurt either way. Cutting and burning has a good chance of only having to be done once. You will at minimum need to do the tips once a year.


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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

I hadn't thought of that. UGH. I better call the vet on Monday. Thank you for your help 


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## rustygoats (Feb 11, 2013)

My boer buck had little scurs. I was about to trim them but when i put him with my girls. Him and my queen doe decided to have a grudge match. So long story short he broke off the scur that was growing toward his head. That was 5 months ago and now it is healed up and growing nice and away from his head. 



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## Chadwick (Jan 24, 2014)

Is your little punk rocker still growing the Mohawk?


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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

Chadwick said:


> Is your little punk rocker still growing the Mohawk?


Hi Chadwick 
Yep. He is getting a pretty good beard going too. It's not really a Mohawk anymore. I think he may be going for a hair band look. It's pretty wild though! I'll try and post a new picture.

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## GreenMountainNigerians (Jul 3, 2013)

rustygoats said:


> My boer buck had little scurs. I was about to trim them but when i put him with my girls. Him and my queen doe decided to have a grudge match. So long story short he broke off the scur that was growing toward his head. That was 5 months ago and now it is healed up and growing nice and away from his head.
> 
> Sent from my iPad using Goat Forum


That was lucky! My Bucklings do go at it at times. Maybe they'll do the job for me! The little doe's scur is really loose and not threatening to go into her head right now. Maybe she butted something too.

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