# Disbudding video, Finally :P



## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

OK, here is me disbudding baby goat. Stacey recorded and I burned.

http://s320.photobucket.com/albums/nn34 ... I_0001.mp4

It's not the best burn cause my iron is going, but it pretty good.


----------



## Goat Crazy (Feb 8, 2010)

Do you burn that long with a good iron? Because, that means I don't burn nearly long enough!
Thank you for the demonstration!


----------



## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Great video! 
Thanks for sharing!!


----------



## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

Yep. Only thing wrong with my iron is the sides of the iron are smaller and not as thick as they use to be, so I move the iron a lot more. Plus the base moves and it shouldn't.


----------



## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

Really nice job! Thanks so much!


----------



## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

Great video! Thank you!

Couple of questions though. Do you normally disbud kids that have that much horn growth? Is it better for them that way? How often do scurs appear after?
Thanks!


----------



## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

This was not normally when I disbud. This baby had joint ill and I couldn't disbud her at the normal age because she already had an infection and her immune system was very low. I also didn't know if she was going to make it, so I didn't want to put her through unnecessary pain. 

So this is a doeling at about 2 months of age. I've done goats with more horn growth that have done fine and lots of goats with less horn growth. I will get a video of one with less horn growth when I had kids again.. hopefully. lol This video was spur of the moment. I was about to burn and stacey was like, WAIT let me get the camera!


----------



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I disbud when the horn growth is just a bit less then this. I like to actually see the horn growing so I know if I got all the way through or not.


----------



## sweetgoats (Oct 18, 2007)

Oh I really thank god I do not do that. That is just horrible. I could not imagine doing that to those poor babies. Hearing that baby scream and cry mad me sick to my stomach.


----------



## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

Sry Lori. I usually say sorry to them the whole time, but I knew I was being recorded. :help:  

I hate doing it, but you can't show them with horns and it's not fair to the others to have a goat with an advantage in their play fights that can really hurt them. It makes it safer with the fencing and containment as well.


----------



## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

Thanks for the video... It's really helpful to actually see it being done. 

man, it made me feel light headed and sweaty watching it with the sound on. I actually butcher my own kids, start to finish all on my own, with no problem at all. Doesn't bother me one little bit. But I am not sure I could do disbudding without passing out. I may need to find someone local who will do it for me. I still feel woozy. 

I just leave the horns on my meat goats, I was trying to decide if I was going to disbud my mixed breed dairy doelings (if I get some *crossing fingers*) and was considering getting my own iron but I think I will see about having someone I know do them if I ever have any purebreds that I might want to sell.


----------



## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

Thank you for posting this. My husband will want to see this. Now I know why our disbudding wasnt successful last year with horns growing all back in. We didnt burn long enough. I sure had a hard time watching this and kinda have a headache now. Wow.. .. good video.


----------



## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

I seriously do have a headache now. Don't take it personally.- Just empathy pains. It is good to see someone else disbud their goats. We are still thinking upon it. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

The good thing about it is: The goats didnt seem to remember that we had caused them so much pain and were just as loving as ever the next day(days that went on) They are so traumatized from it that I think it is something they dont remember. None of our goats were afraid of us after our disbudding last year. All is good the next day and life carries on like nothing happened to them.


----------



## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

Yeah, Most people don't burn long enough. And Please note this is a doe, not a buck. i burn longer and more area on a buck.


----------



## Goat Song (May 4, 2011)

Oh wow. :shocked: Sorry, I know everyone has their own method of dehorning, but I was really shocked by the length of time the iron was on the horn bud.... It takes about 3 seconds with my kids, and I very rarely get scurs. Do you always burn that deeply?


----------



## Amos (Oct 2, 2008)

As long as you don't press down with a lot of force I think it's fine. I know someone who did that and they burned through the skull. I've never done it that long but there are times when I should have, just because I usually put burning off and sometimes I haven't done it right the first time. You have to have the confidence in knowing what you're doing, yet not have so much force that you do damage. I usually hold their bottom jaws and put my thumb in their mouth so I don't have to listen to the screaming.. It's the smell that does me in! Blugh!


----------



## logansmommy7 (Nov 11, 2009)

Is it safe to say there comes a point when the kid is screaming that it is screaming because you are holding its head still and covering its eyes?? I really feel after a point they don't feel the pain as much as they don't like being held so still. Call me crazy...(really, you can if you want). We aren't burning long enough. All in all about 5 lessons learned this year (ARGH), and when the next kids are born, we will be watching this video before disbudding! FOR SURE! :hair:


----------



## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

We have two unicorn looking goats out there from disbudding gone bad last spring.


----------



## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

Goat Song said:


> Oh wow. :shocked: Sorry, I know everyone has their own method of dehorning, but I was really shocked by the length of time the iron was on the horn bud.... It takes about 3 seconds with my kids, and I very rarely get scurs. Do you always burn that deeply?


If you felt that you had to say sorry before beginning your post, then the post probably doesn't need to be posted..FYI.  Please think and re-read your posts before posting and if you think it is going to make someone mad, then don't post it.

Yes, This is how long I burn for. Burning for less time and growing scurs OR burning burning repeatedly because you didn't burn long enough the first or second time , IMHO, is just as cruel.

Every person is going to burn their own way and length of time depending upon the disbudder, weather conditions, horn growth, ect. I ALWAYS burn down to the skull. If you don't burn down to the skull then the disbudding may not take, but if you burn to the skull and then pull off the cap you probably wont get scurs. I have disbudded hundred of kids are varying levels of horn growth and I know what works best for me and my goats. All goats are given banamine and watched carefully after disbudding. To date I have never killed a goat or burned "too far". I let the iron do all the work and I don't push down, I only push to the side when trying to pop the cap off.

If anyone has any more questionable comments to post I will lock this topic. I would prefer you PM me if you feel you don't like what you saw. I am happy to answer any questions.


----------



## cdtrum (Aug 25, 2008)

Ashley.....I had watched your video on FB and found it very informative and interesting, even though I don't dehorn myself.....I have always wondered how it is done......I had to laugh at my husband, he wouldn't watch the video and then made me turn the sound off because he couldn't stand hearing the kid cry......he is such a softy when it comes to our animals, he can't even stand hearing our guys cry when I have to give them injections...lol!


----------



## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

I disbud my goats and I can see that I don't burn long enough. Getting a copper color is just not good enough. I want to try hard to get that white ring around the bud and pop that cap off. That way I won't get those dreaded scurs. Thanks for sharing.


----------



## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

See, when you are in the moment and disbudding you don't really hear the sound, you just block it out. But when I listen to the video, yes she does sound like she is in horrible pain. BUT, these are goats , they always think anything they don't like causes them horrible pain. LOL The thing they hate the most is being held down. If I just hold a goat like that, and don't disbud it they will scream just the same because they don't like it. The house kids and bottle kids tend to scream louder imo.


----------



## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> Oh I really thank god I do not do that. That is just horrible. I could not imagine doing that to those poor babies. Hearing that baby scream and cry mad me sick to my stomach.


 I do feel the same Lori...  :hug:


----------



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

If you dont disbud or feel this is cruel and unusual punishment PLEASE dont comment. This is for informational purposes only for those of use who DO disbud. and remember some of us HAVE TO if we went to show!

That goes for mods as well -- we dont need this to go into a debate on disbudding or not disbudding. Thank you!


----------



## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

RunAround said:


> See, when you are in the moment and disbudding you don't really hear the sound, you just block it out. But when I listen to the video, yes she does sound like she is in horrible pain. BUT, these are goats , they always think anything they don't like causes them horrible pain. LOL The thing they hate the most is being held down. If I just hold a goat like that, and don't disbud it they will scream just the same because they don't like it. The house kids and bottle kids tend to scream louder imo.


Very true! LOL OK now you have to do a video of the same kid and her first bath...what do you want to bet she screams almost as loudly! Mine all start screaming the minute they go in the box...oh and shaving the head....you'd think was killing them! I didn't burn long enough with my winter kiddings this year...I got 2 unicorns and 1 with scurs.... Next time we'll make sure to go longer...cuz they don't like being banded!


----------



## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

I think the video is just wonderful! Great reference for those that want it.

*I hate scurs! *

I have watched my vet who has done thousands of disbudings he does almost the exact same thing as in this video.

I also watched a VERY experienced (thousands of kids) old line ND breeder disbud a buckling and she held it on way longer!

They all scream when you restrain them disbuding or no disbuding.


----------



## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

That is AWESOME that you have a vet that can do it right!! :thumb:


----------



## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

He is older and has done goats for years. He is really straight to the point and no nonsense. I am so happy to have him. Just wish he had more office hours and wasn't close to retiring. 

I watched him do 7 kids so far. Maybe soon I will give it a go.


----------



## mommaB (Oct 1, 2009)

Thanks for posting that! Very informational. I have a 4-h leader in my area do mine. I was gonna do a couple with her watching last time but chickened out! Its the ONLY thing I gave trouble with. I'll get there gonna try it this year!


----------



## mommaB (Oct 1, 2009)

Oh and when you have a buck kid to do, will you try to video that?? I would live to see what you do differently for them!


----------



## 4kids (Jul 21, 2009)

Ashley has disbudded tons of my goats and they have all been great. I know the noise stinks (used to really bother me) but I know the ordeal is soon forgotten. I think it is a terrific reference for us to have a picture of how to do it right to prevent some of the situations in the last few posts. As goat owners, we need to make the best choice for our herd, but I personally would prefer to do it right the first time then fix a botched up job. (I speak from experience on messed up jobs!)


----------



## logansmommy7 (Nov 11, 2009)

RunAround said:


> If I just hold a goat like that, and don't disbud it they will scream just the same because they don't like it. The house kids and bottle kids tend to scream louder imo.


Yep-this is exactly what I thought-if you even pick up a goat kid (when not disbudding it) it will probably scream just because it is off the ground...gotta love the goatie drama...hehe :laugh:


----------



## SandStoneStable Farm (Dec 8, 2010)

Thank you for posting. As I contimplate moving forward with kidding next year, the fear of scurs and worse what I've recently gone through, I know doing it right would have saved problems down the road.


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I have yet to do this myself...I am not confident enough to even attempt to do my own disbuds, the last 2 years I've had a friend's hubby take care of the deed, and I'm grateful that they have! My hubby watched as this years kids were done and he says that HE could do it but my problem with that is...even tho he's my hubby, I don't trust him with my kids :wink: 

Ashley, your experience shows in the video...Baby goat was more PO'd because she was held down and I know for fact that after she was let out of the holding box that she likely did what any kid that was disbudded did...wanted loves from you and then went and either laid down or went to find something to nibble on...no worse for wear.


----------



## BRSC (Sep 1, 2011)

thanks for your video. I'm looking forward to seeing some with younger kids.

We just disbudded squirt a couple days ago. poor little fella.  next morning you would have never guessed anything had happened to him. anyway, i'm thinking we may have not burned them long enough.

which iron do you have, the x50 or x30 (at least, it looks similar to ours - the 50)

edited to add: the reason I asked what iron you had, was that i was hoping you had the 50 and knew what the switch with the "S" and "D" meant.

however, I have figured it out. in the event someone did not know, S is the soldering setting (don't use to disbud, does not get hot enough), and the D is the disbudding/dehorning setting.


----------



## milkmaid59 (Jan 28, 2015)

I'm going to do my first disbudding in about 2 Months. Thanks for the video. That helped!!


----------



## Dogwoodcreek-Alpines (May 14, 2014)

Good video! I burn for 12-14 seconds per side and pop the cap off as well. I do burn copper and not white though. I count out loud (more for my soft hearted husband holding the goat (I don't use a box) and that really helps if you are starting out! I usually burn around 3-7 days old. After you do it enough times you no longer break out in a sweat and have that heart drop feeling.  doesn't bother me anymore.


----------



## GodsGarden (Feb 6, 2015)

Could someone post a picture of a baby goat's head at the best time to disbudd?

And if you botch a disbudding does it work to re burn?

I have a little buck that I did on day three and it didn't work. It has been 5 days since then. Can this be fixed? He is a lamancha.


----------



## Frosty (Feb 13, 2010)

Thanks for the video. I have seen it done in person but the refresher was nice seeing some one do it that's had a lot of expierence. I bought a doe who has scurrs and I am trying to figure out the best way to get rid of them. she has bumped them off before but they come right back. I so want to show her this year. Right now she is pregnant so won't do nothing to her.


----------



## Squeaker (Mar 23, 2015)

This will be the tough part for me when we start having kids. I might have to take them to a friend of ours a couple hours away to make sure it is done right. I'm afraid I'll be too timid with them and I don't watch to botch it...

I would really like to see a video of a younger kid too to get an idea on how long for the younger guys if you get the opportunity .

Thank you for the video!!


----------



## scubacoz (Nov 7, 2013)

Where Is the video?


----------



## sassykat6181 (Nov 28, 2012)

Original post page 1


----------



## Alleysalley02 (Jun 25, 2015)

sweetgoats said:


> Oh I really thank god I do not do that. That is just horrible. I could not imagine doing that to those poor babies. Hearing that baby scream and cry mad me sick to my stomach.


 I couldn't do that EVER! I almost cryed, I'm glad some people do it for their goats saftey though!


----------



## Chloe123 (Apr 16, 2015)

Thank u for the video! I did not burn long enough on mine last year and had to do one of them again and then ended up banding one. Lesson learned the hard way.  Much better to get it good the first time. So many others will benefit from this video! My hubby will want to see this as well for the new babies we will be doing this year. Thanks again!!


----------



## polvinale (Dec 30, 2015)

I'm really appreciative of this very informative video! I am not disbudding myself this year because the former owner of my does recommended a very experienced (and expensive) veterinarian who sedates the kids for disbudding, and agreed to share the cost of disbudding this years' kids on the condition that we return any unwanted individuals (for me that's bucklings) to their custody. I'm happy to comply, as I don't have the means to feed and house bucks separately, but in the future I will probably have to endure disbudding without sedation for the kids, and eventually would like to be self-sufficient and capable of completing the procedure successfully on my own. Much kudos for addressing such a sensitive topic in a genuinely helpful way!


----------



## ErininCali (Mar 13, 2016)

Oh sweet Jesus. I want to be able to do this, I really do. But I don't think I can. 

:faint:


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

So how much pressure is required to get a good burn? Or do you just lightly apply the iron?


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Light pressure. Basically a little more then the weight of the iron, that way when they jump around it doesn't slide all over the place too. But I do mine way before the horn gets that big so I don't burn near that long. I would have chickened out if I had to burn that long lil


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Thanks Jessica!


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Ok, so we did all three kids today for the first time ever...what a crappy job! But...they do seem to recover quickly...I wouldn't have believed it had I not seen it myself! Hoping we will know if we got them all soon....how long does it usually take to know if you did it right?


----------



## sassykat6181 (Nov 28, 2012)

Can you post a pic? I did my first batch last spring and as far as I know they are all good


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

I can tomorrow evening...


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I think it takes a few weeks. Knock on wood since I've been doing them younger I haven't had any problems but yes get a picture!


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Ok here they are...buck,buck,doe. Caps were popped off and then they were burned again.


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Since it's not newly done it's a little hard to tell 100% but the first one looks like it's a little shy of being good on his right horn for right. 2 I would guess should be fine but 3 on his left horn it looks totally perfect to me. It has that nice copper color all the way around and it looks like it burned down pretty deep which is good!


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

So should I redo them?


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Ok, we redid them. They all have copper rings all the way around so I'll keep a close eye and see if they start to get scurs. They are all nervous of us. They were to begin with but now they are a little more scared, poor babies! The boys are fine being skittish but the girl is staying so I've gotta work with her. Next week we start separating so I'll be able to work with her more.


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Good job on reburning. To be honest I've never had the heart to reburn when I see there's going to be a issue because I know I would have to Ben a lot longer  give the little girl time they are pretty forgiving at this age, which is good on things like this but bad on ones your trying to teach not to jump on you


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Why would you have to burn longer? We just did quick touch ups..I'll try to post pics tomorrow of their heads


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Because when you catch the issue later on, about a week or two later the born is pretty attached/big I guess you could say so you would have to burn longer to make them not grow any more. Or so I've read remember I don't reburn lol I just deal with the scurs which except for 2 does has always been these tiny little things. But I think my alpine boy should be reburned. My goodness he had HUGE horns already at a week old and I kinda knew I wasn't going to get them just right but if I can get my hands on him I'll show you what I mean. I know where he's going to end up so for sure no point in reburning him. He won't have sharp little horns so I won't loose the bid of the feed lot type guy so it is what it is.


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Ahhh, ok! I burned them at 8 and 9 days old but the white one had buds the day he was born.He's a meat goat anyway so scurs are no big deal...I just hope I got hers!


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Was the boy the alpine? I never seen horns so big on a week old before. The little girl SHOULD be ok. Girl horns seems to grow so much slower then the boys.


----------



## NyGoatMom (Jan 26, 2013)

Nope, he's a sable saanen...he was born with buds..:lol:


----------



## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

If I remember right my saanen cross kids grew horns fast too. It's been years but I remember feeling those nubs on him and telling Billy she over cooked him lol


----------



## fezz09 (Oct 30, 2012)

Do you give banamine before disbudding? If so, how much?


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Banamine is 1cc per 100 lbs. I give it 30 minutes prior to disbudding.


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

I don't.


----------



## fezz09 (Oct 30, 2012)

Ksalvagno, do you just break it down for their weight then?


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Yes. For the really small doses, it is easier to use a 1cc syringe.


----------



## richeys3 (Mar 30, 2017)

Amos said:


> As long as you don't press down with a lot of force I think it's fine. I know someone who did that and they burned through the skull. I've never done it that long but there are times when I should have, just because I usually put burning off and sometimes I haven't done it right the first time. You have to have the confidence in knowing what you're doing, yet not have so much force that you do damage. I usually hold their bottom jaws and put my thumb in their mouth so I don't have to listen to the screaming.. It's the smell that does me in! Blugh!


It's the smell that throws me over the edge.. I hold them while hubby burns, we've only done it once by ourselves without a friend to coach..... and we did not burn long enough or deep enough... mine all have scurs


----------



## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

You can always band the scurs, or re burn if they're still small enough.


----------



## sassykat6181 (Nov 28, 2012)

If you shave the head it doesn't smell nearly as bad. It's that burning hair


----------



## wifeof1 (Mar 18, 2016)

Thank you for this video. My son did two kids this morning. Everything went fine.


----------



## Hughes Wildlife Farm (Feb 15, 2020)

Is there after care for disbudding?
A local farmer did my kids today. She gave them a baby asprine right after, but with all the bottle feeding and shuffling around, I forgot to ask..."what do I do to care for the area?"
I know asprine for pain, but do I clean it daily, and apply red-kote or blue-kote or nothing or just leave it.
Any practiced suggestions would be awesome.
I know to look for bleed and infection.


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I don't do anything. Just keep an eye on it.


----------

