# Tipping Horns?



## HoosierShadow

I posted on a Boer Goat group but didn't really get the answer I was hoping to find.

I am wondering if anyone else knows.

I need to make sure the kids wethers horns are tipped enough. All fair/show rules are 1/2". I'm not sure how to measure this? 
I am so worried about hurting them  Definitely don't want them bleeding and unable to show.


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## SMB_GoatHerd

Generally around here, all show wethers are dehorned. And then the 1/2" rule goes for scurs... Were the wethers dehorned?


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## HoosierShadow

Sydney - No they aren't dehorned. In our state you can show horned or dehorned, but horns have to be tipped. I did tip the horns a few weeks ago, but someone suggested yesterday at a show that they weren't short enough. 
I tipped the 2 bigger wethers again today and feel they should be fine, but the little wether I tried to tip more and made him bleed  So I can't tip anymore of his.

Someone mentioned a couple of years ago before my kids started showing wethers that they use a piece of water pipe in order to measure the horns and make sure they are fine. Not sure if they meant they try to put the horn in the pipe and if it's too big to go in, then it's fine, or how they did it. 
I don't like tipping, but we don't plan to ever dehorn unless it were to become mandatory. My kids and husband don't like the goats dehorned.


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## Dani-1995

I used to think dehorned was stupid for a terminal goat but I've changed my mind since having them... no more bruises on my legs from feeding time and so much easier to wash them. Keep in mind I was cut on the chest and under arm by a horn when I reached over a wether for the water hose... learned my lesson then and have much more careful since. I still like horns on does and bucks but wethers are much easier to handle dehorned. Especially with the way we run them and have younger kids working them frequently. With that said, tipping is tough because all horns are different. I would suggest a dremell or grinder and go until you see the quick outline. This also prevents sharp edges.


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## HoosierShadow

Thanks Dani I appreciate it. I definitely see the reasoning behind dehorning, my oldest 2 say they like having horns, and my husband doesn't want to consider dehorning. I myself am not really sure. We haven't had any problems <yet> with horns, thankfully, especially on the wethers.

The big wethers horns IMO should be okay, I don't see why they'd need to be any shorter, they are wide and very dull. But I do worry about the younger wether, his aren't as wide/big but they are long.


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## Dani-1995

It's just easier the whole way around. I got hurt by my first wether... He came from a man down the road that just had some goats. He was a crazy goat!


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## HoosierShadow

Dani-1995 said:


> It's just easier the whole way around. I got hurt by my first wether... He came from a man down the road that just had some goats. He was a crazy goat!


My kids goats have all been very calm and laid back. The boys are spoiled brats lol I think one thing that really helps is that they are born/raised here and the kids mess with them from the moment they are born.


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## Jessica84

You might have to have someone tip the horns for you  and I don't blame you I hate having to cut horns. But it would be better to have someone do it now then depending on the judge if he will dq the wether. 
Now I'm not getting onto you but this is a good reason to disbud the next batch of wethers. It is such a jerk thing to do I agree and it took me 2 years to finally disbud but it would be so much more easy on the wethers to just have it done when they are little then having to cut their horns later on. And I'm not saying all your goats just the wethers since they need no or short horns to be shown. 


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


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## SMB_GoatHerd

I wasn't sure how your shows worked. Any animals going to our fair MUST be dehorned. We also don't have a meat breeding program, just the market and dairy... So they have to be tipped but no longer than 1/2"? I do understand your reasoning for not dehorning, but IMHO, if they had to be that short I'd just dehorn... I'm sure we have very different opinions on this, but I'd just think it'd be less traumatic... If I'm seeming harsh, I'm not meaning to nor am I trying to offend anyone with my opinions if it seems so...


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## canyontrailgoats

I would definitely look into Dehorning for next year's wethers....unless of course you love the look of horns. But buying disbudded goats will be easier in the long run. Especially if you don't have to do it!


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## NubianFan

I think she means the "tip" cut off is no longer than a half inch. In other words, you just cut off the very pointy dangerous end. If you cut very deep in a horn it would bleed I would think. Maybe I am wrong but I don't see how you could cut them down to only a half inch long without really having a bloody mess on your hands.


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## Dani-1995

I think it's a 1/2 thick, not long. That's how our shows are.


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## NubianFan

But still, it is just the very pointy dangerous end right? Not cutting the actual horn off?


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## SMB_GoatHerd

Yeah, maybe I'm not understanding correctly... At our fair, horns must not be over 1/2 inch LONG. So generally they are dehorned young. And how would you tip the width? Wouldn't that just defeat the look of the horns?


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## canyontrailgoats

It's just the horn end, at our show. If you had to cut them down to 1/2 in long, ya might as well just have them disbudded...


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## NubianFan

well I think you tip down til the horn is 1/2 wide. you are still tipping length, but you are measuring buy the width you tip down to, does that make sense? That is how I am understanding it.


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## Dani-1995

Yes it does, which is why a lot of people have moved towards dehorning. Our shows are all concerned about diameter. The only exception is for doelings since the boers could be registered.


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## canyontrailgoats

Ok, I get it now.


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## HoosierShadow

Sorry sometimes I am not great at explaining things lol 

Yes, they aren't supposed to be thinner than 1/2 inch. I was looking at goats at a show yesterday and some have horns thinner than my kids goats, so I think they may be okay. A man at the show told me to take a 1/2" piece of pipe, and use that, if the horns fit in it, they are too thin.


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## jcarr492

Our fair is the same way with horns or without, but with horns, must be tipped. We use the diameter of a dime. Our rules state the diameter of the horn tipped can't be smaller than the diameter of a dime.


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