Calve dehorning business startup

[Fordman7000]

Was wondering what your opinions were on startup dehorning business in ni, would there be a market for it ? Prices? Setup? Finally worthwhile?

 

[Drillman]

We just put horn paste on calves when we tag them. dead easy. Don't know why everyone doesn't do it.

 

[Daniel Larn]

We just put horn paste on calves when we tag them. dead easy. Don't know why everyone doesn't do it.

This, every time!

 

[Lazy Eric]

We just put horn paste on calves when we tag them. dead easy. Don't know why everyone doesn't do it.

Don’t the cows lick it off and burn their tongues?

 

[Werzle]

I have always been temted to try using this paste but never had the conviction it would work. As for the dehorning business ive always thought it would work but boy its going to be tough wild work at times

 

[caveman]

You'd probably need a veterinary qualification to punt about to operate on animals not on your own holding.

 

[Daniel Larn]

Don’t the cows lick it off and burn their tongues?

Never seen it be an issue, but a few people say they have. Once the stuff has been on for an hour or so it's spent, some some folk will try to separate them until then.

Personally, I wouldn't bother, and if you are concerned about it just use gaffer tape as others have suggested in the past.

 

[Tim G]

Good insurance would be needed surely?

 

[Drillman]

Never seen it be an issue, but a few people say they have. Once the stuff has been on for an hour or so it's spent, some some folk will try to separate them until then.

Personally, I wouldn't bother, and if you are concerned about it just use gaffer tape as others have suggested in the past.

What he said

 

[pellow]

There was a guy locally doing dis budding, he was charging £4 per head everything included, he says that he was warned off by animal health as he should not be doing it without veterinary qualifications, our vet charges between £11 and £22 per head depending on size of animal

 

[Werzle]

Foot trimming boys always used to do it so cannot see what its got to do with animal health.

 

[davieh3350]

Got myself a red poll bull, should be no dehornings to do!

 

[liammogs]

10 years time genetics will change horned cattle will be a minority, think you can get a polled holstein already

 

[Zippy768]

10 years time genetics will change horned cattle will be a minority, think you can get a polled holstein already

I'm still amazed how many unpolled herefords are still about. I would have thought by now horns would have been bred out

 

[James]

while your at it castrate them too

 

[womble8350]

I used to do a bit of this when I first went self employed. Just charged an hourly rate. I always said if you can hold it I can dehorn it!

 

[Whitepeak]

Was wondering what your opinions were on startup dehorning business in ni, would there be a market for it ? Prices? Setup? Finally worthwhile?

Are you thinking of disbudding baby calves or would you be willing to do strong stores with horns that need cheese wiring off?? Would be very big differences in setups and costs for both, ie. would you provide your own crush or use the farmers own? Not sure I’d want to do big stores if it was the latter. I’m sure there would be reasonable demand in NI as there’s a lot of smaller farms who also work off farm so don’t always have time to do everything themselves. Best way to find out if there’s demand is go into your local market and chat to farmers.
Got to love TFF though, someone comes on asking for advice in starting a business and the first 4 comments are rants about a system choice! Unless you’re all suggesting he goes round selling paste instead

 

[M-J-G]

We just put horn paste on calves when we tag them. dead easy. Don't know why everyone doesn't do it.

Because an iron is more reliable and just as quick, for sucklers anyway.

 

[M-J-G]

10 years time genetics will change horned cattle will be a minority, think you can get a polled holstein already

You've been able to get them for over a decade.

 

[M-J-G]

As a business you could offer a service to dairy farmers, since most are calving AYR you'd always have calves to do.

You could call in on a fortnightly or monthly basis and pick up where you left off the last time.
Bouts of scour or pneumonia may disrupt the pattern though.