# Disbud iron is this the right size?



## Coyote Night Acres (Dec 27, 2010)

I'm going to be ordering my very first disbud iron. I've done some research on whats the best one etc... and I'll be getting the Rhinehart X30 from valleyvet I'm planning to get the .55" size but wanted to make sure I was getting the right size before ordering. I'll be doing standard dairy goat kids around 3 days old or when I start to feel the bud Mostly Lamanchas, but a few alpine saanen lamancha crosses also.

The other sizes available are 3/8" and 1/4"

Also what kind of gloves should I purchase for doing the disbudding job?

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html ... b0d0204ae5


----------



## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

Buy the standard tip for the X30.... don't get any of the smaller ones or you'll end up with scurs.  LOVE my X30!!!!! Definitely in my "best buys" category.


----------



## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

yup the half inch is the best option


----------



## 4hmama (Jan 9, 2009)

We got the x30 and got the miniture tip option instead of standard tip. It was too small. The good news - my DH was able to take a drill and widen the hole that goes over the horn bud. Works well now.


----------



## Coyote Night Acres (Dec 27, 2010)

Thanks guys. I'll probably get it ordered later today or tomorrow, so I'll have it before our first kiddings. Thanks again :grouphug:


----------



## Coyote Night Acres (Dec 27, 2010)

I kinda had some thoughts about not ordering the iron and trying to find a vet that could do the disbudding for us. We talked to another vet and we just don't have any vets around here that are goat vets. They are all cattle vets and have huge dehorning irons and want to wait till the goats are 2 months old to do it. I'm not happy. I wish we had experienced goat people around us that could do it for us, but looks like I'm going to have to suck it up and do it myself. I just didn't want to have to do it because of how bad it is :scratch: So how on earth am I going to be able to burn those heads? somebody tell me it's not that bad :?


----------



## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

It's "That Bad"... but do it EARLY ON... like within the first week or two at most!! Keep a bit of crushed baby aspirin ready (I'm sure others have other pain options to post here too). Stacey & I were just talking on TGS about our "procedure" for disbudding... I'd PM her and ask. 

I make absolutely sure to wait 15 mins for the iron to warm up... then VERY securely hold babies head (AND BODY-they flail! --help from others to hold is VERY appreciated!), I wear gloves & I cover the eyes as best as possible just in case, ... press firmly & hold the iron centered directly over the horn bud (we also shave the top of the head prior to see buds better)...slowly rotate the downward pressure, while firmly pressing down in a circular motion, while counting to 8 (some say 5 sec, 8 sec, or 10 sec...really up to you). make sure to press FIRMLY. Then we cuddle A LOT, while we wait for the iron to warm up again (10-15 mins) and do the exact same thing on the other bud.
I actually do both buds at 8-10 sec count... then go back and do another 5 second count on both buds.
Best thing we've added is spraying with an antiseptic/antibacterial type spray that helps for burns... like a spray from the pharmacy for sunburns...we do this when we're all done and it really seems to help with pain & burning & it makes it feel icy cold on there too, which I'm sure feels better for them. Just cover the eyes when you spray it.
We also give 1/2 tablet of baby aspirin (Crushed & mixed w/molasses water) right before or after disbudding to help w/pain.

-- And we have Nigerians (mini's) and we use the Standard tip X30... so I would definitely NOT go any smaller than the standard tip on the X30 for your babies.


----------



## Bellafire Farm (Jan 5, 2010)

PS. If you google surgical dehorning of goats...I know of a few YouTube video's of it....well....
TRUST ME - in my experiences, disbudding is MUCH easier & more humane! I about threw up once watching a "disbudding" done at a veterinary college. Maybe others have better experiences with it...but the "disbudding/dehornings" I've known of so far were just brutal to witness. :tears:


----------



## Coyote Night Acres (Dec 27, 2010)

*Re: Disbud iron*

Okay, I did it. I finally ordered the iron it should be here in a few days along with OB lube and OB gloves to finish up my kidding kit. I have some allusheild spray to use after the job is done on them and will get some thick leather gloves too. No backing out now, I spent the hard earned $70 and have to make good use of it. You all are going to have to help me I'm sure. I've only watched two disbuddings, of which were horible. The vet did them at about a week old, and used a huge cow dehorning iron. It smelled like burnt hair and flesh so bad. The babies smelled like it for days after. He put no spray on them, just gave a tetenus shot. I said then and there I would never do that again. I got another baby from a breeder that had his horns done at a few days old, it was smaller. He didn't smell like burnt hair, cause they had clipped his hair first. He had yellow spray on them so you didn't see any oozing or blistering. It was awesome, but then again I wasn't there when the did it either. It's for their own good.... It's for their own good..... It's for their own good :sigh:


----------



## 4hmama (Jan 9, 2009)

We found another goat owner that showed us what to do. We loaded up 9 week old nigis and they did a few, talked us through doing a few, then watched us do the rest. We had taken my 11 year old son with us...and all he said was 'Mom...I didn't think their heads would smoke!"  

Make no mistake...it is bad - it's noisy, they scream, their heads smoke where the hair/flesh is burnt (yes - we shave too, less hair to burn and it makes it easier to see the buds). You HAVE to hold them securely. My DH holds and I burn. He turns them crossways in his lap and holds the hips with his elbow. He puts their front legs down, in between his legs, and lays the head flat on his knee. He then puts one hand on the back of the head and holds the head down. They will try to get away, and they squirm...but remember that if you are firm and hold them still...you can get it done quickly, without burning more than needs to be. A disbudding box would be easier, but we aren't there yet. We do doelings at about a week, but do your bucklings earlier than that, and be sure you get ALL the way around the horn bud. We do a count of 15 on each side, the another 5-10 on each side. The good news - you should only have to do it once, and they rebound quickly!


----------

