Dehorning

Introduction and purpose

    Dehorning/disbudding means the arrest of horn growth at an early age when the horn button is in the form of bud. The main reason for dehorning, of course, is to eliminate the risk of injury to other animals in the herd or to people working with buffaloes/cows.
     Dehorning can be carried out up to one month's age in calves. Dehorning calves under thirty days of age with a commercial electric dehorning iron is currently the most popular method in several countries. The caustic potash or caustic soda stick method is equally satisfactory. It is inexpensive, easy to do, and does a neat job. For better results, a caustic potash stick may be used when the calf is 3 to 10 days old.

Procedure

    The calf is held securely and hair is clipped around the button. The region of each horn bud is rubbed with a piece of cotton wool soaked in surgical spirit to defat the skin since fat lessens the action of caustic. Surround the area with a ring of grease or vaseline to protect the eyes against the chemical. The stick of caustic is wetted and briskly rubbed over the button until blood appears, protecting the hands while doing so. In 24 to 30 hours, a scar of dead tissue is seen and this gradually sloughs off, and if properly done no horn tissue is left. In a few cases, a second application two or three days after the first is required to any horn cells that have not been killed and show no scar from the first application.
     The hot iron method of dehorning consists pf the application of a specially designed hot iron to the horns of young calves. The use of electric horn iron is preferable since it keeps an even temperature without getting too hot or too cold.
     For older calves, yearling heifers, and milk animals, the veterinarian will anesthetize the area around the base of horns and removes the horn with minimal bleeding and discomfort to the animal. However, the appearance of the pool will be less attractive in those animals which are dehorned at advanced ages.

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