# When do you disbud?



## Tog Lovers (Oct 10, 2007)

Our little buckling is just over a week old. I read in a book that once you can feel the little bumps it's too late. Another article said to do it between 1 & 2 weeks. We were able to feel the little bumps at 5 days old. And his previous owner said to wait a couple weeks. We are really confused. Ours does are disbudded and we would want him to be too. So is it too late? Could the vet do it some other way?


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## kelebek (Oct 5, 2007)

I did my last kid at almost 4 weeks of age. She was not doing so well at birth that I wanted to give her a little time. We also did the boys the same day and they were almost 3 weeks. i have seen no sign that they will have scurs as of yet and they are 6 and 7 weeks now.


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## bigoakfarm (Oct 6, 2007)

A week is not too late. You can still just disbud him with the iron. If you aren't experienced at disbudding yet, you might want to let the vet do it the first time so you can watch the procedure. If you are really new and you want oto go ahead and do it yourself, he may be more likely to grow scurs because he's a little older now but he's definitely still young enough to be disbudded the usual way. 

Ideally, I like to do my boys within the first few days but life happens and sometimes my timing is less than perfect but they still get done. It's ok.

Kristen


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## K-Ro (Oct 14, 2007)

I try to do my dairy boys within 6 or 7 days of birth, now I did have to do one that was 8 days and his buds had actually come thru the skin, but I think I got them all, and hope for no scurs. You are not to late, but you need to do it now.


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## Tog Lovers (Oct 10, 2007)

Thank you all for the advice and reassurance. The Vet is coming here on Friday and when I called him today he said he would be able to do it for us then. He said he would like to teach us to do it rather than us winging it. I agree!!


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

We usually disbud bucks at 3 days of age, and does at about a week. We have LaManchas though and they grow a lot faster than swiss breeds.


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## jBlaze (Oct 9, 2007)

When you need to dis-bud depends on the BREED.
I have done saanens at 2 days and pygoras at 3 - 4 weeks. Some breeds of goats make monster horns that you can feel at borth. Others make tiny horns that you can wait a few weeks on and they are still tiny nubs. Glad your vet is showing you.


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## Fainters (Oct 10, 2007)

I agree that it depends on the breed. With my fainters and nigerians they are 2 weeks old before I can feel them under the skin really good. I try to do them right before 2 weeks but I have done some late because a buyer requested it and it still came out o.k. as long as the iron will still fit over the bud.

http://www.freewebs.com/scapegoatranch/


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## sparks879 (Oct 17, 2007)

yup, i had two kids born this morning (alpine) my buck kid feels ready to do now, but im going to wait a day or two. the doe kid i can just barely feel the horn buds. She will probably go an extra day or so longer then her brother.
beth


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## Sweet Gum Minis (Oct 6, 2007)

I have disbudded around a week and as late as 3.5 weeks. Let me say it is much easier on you and the goat to do it earlier. By the time the horns start growing they get big fast and that involves more burning because the base of the horn widens and there's more cap to remove. So I prefer to do them as early as possible. Polled kids I tend to wait longer on to make sure they're polled.


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