De horning paste

[wellingtonfarmer]

Anyone recommend a paste or an alternative to the hot iron

 

[Spartacus]

I recommend paste but it can leave a large scar as the paste can melt and drip down the head of the calf. Was always fine by sale time though, used it for a couple of years but then my dad decided to get an electric de horner like this, cant find a UK version though.
http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=2e87c05b-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5

 

[Red Fred]

I use hornex all the time on the suckler calves and it is great. Be careful not to get it on your hand, put a dab on each horn site when you do the tags/rings and cover it with a piece of gaffer tape to keep it dry and stop mum catching a dose for a few hours. I reckon it is much less stressful than using an iron, and just as effective after a few tries. Ideal for a one man band.

 

[seedman stains]

I have used the paste good results but some times a bit lop sided(sucklers) used a gas dehorner this year very early almost guess work where the horns were, but has worked well.either way a 2 man job with my limousins but better the younger they are.

 

[Derrick Hughes]

I would ban it

 

[Monty]

I would ban it

Why?

 

[Derrick Hughes]

A dehorner takes a few seconds, that must burn for days, try some on your finger and let me know

 

[Red Fred]

I try it on my fingers on ocaission and it stings a bit but not unduly. On the soft bit of your arm, it can cause a burn and itch for a few days, but a calf skin is tougher than my arm, and on balance it causes less stress than getting them in the crush, With a calf, you can see it has returned to normal by the time you go out to check later. If we thought it was cruel, we wouldn't use it.

 

[Red Fred]

The other point is, if I get a bit on my arm by accident, it just irritates for a few days. If I had a lump taken out with a hot iron, even under sedation, I reckon I'd be suffering for a good bit longer when the jab wore off. But each to his own.

 

[Ashtree]

I try it on my fingers on ocaission and it stings a bit but not unduly. On the soft bit of your arm, it can cause a burn and itch for a few days, but a calf skin is tougher than my arm, and on balance it causes less stress than getting them in the crush, With a calf, you can see it has returned to normal by the time you go out to check later. If we thought it was cruel, we wouldn't use it.

Agree totally.

 

[Davy]

I've started using it recently and think its a great job. No hassle and a one man job. They don't seem to notice and suck their feeds after without fail. If they were hurting I'd reckon they wouldn't be as keen to feed.

 

[Monty]

A dehorner takes a few seconds, that must burn for days, try some on your finger and let me know

Try a dehorning iron on your finger and let me know how much it hurts. It takes about 3 mins to do a calf with paste. Here's some I did earlier do they look bothered to you?

 

[Monty]

We use this paste in a syringe now.
http://agriculturalsupply.co/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=348
We used to use hornex but wouldn't buy it now. The consitency is lumpy, it's difficult to apply, it tends to go hard and useless in the tub, it's more expensive and the results weren't as good. That's not to say it doesn't work though. We're now getting 100% results with the exbud paste.

If you follow these 3 steps you wont go far wrong;
1) Use scissors to trim the hair over the bud. Do not use clippers or cut the surrounding hair otherwise the paste will spread and burn the surrounding skin and cause the calf unneccesary itching and irritation.
2) Apply plenty of paste. A good dollop so it covers the entire bud when squashed against it.
3) Wrap 2" gaffa tape around afterwards to hold it in place while it's working (just as important as the paste itself)

 

[harperfarmer]

Always used Hornex paste since we've had sucklers. Get on fine with it. As others have said, trim round the bud with scissors and apply. We keep the calf shut in a pen away from the cow for a hour to stop it being lickedoff/rubbed on her bag. We've never used gaffer tape or such like though and doesn't seem to have influenced it. IMO its far, far less stressful for the calf and farmer!!!

 

[Thick Farmer]

4) don't go for a pee until you have washed your hands!

 

[buffalo_soldier]

We use this paste in a syringe now.
http://agriculturalsupply.co/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=348
We used to use hornex but wouldn't buy it now. The consitency is lumpy, it's difficult to apply, it tends to go hard and useless in the tub, it's more expensive and the results weren't as good. That's not to say it doesn't work though. We're now getting 100% results with the exbud paste.

If you follow these 3 steps you wont go far wrong;
1) Use scissors to trim the hair over the bud. Do not use clippers or cut the surrounding hair otherwise the paste will spread and burn the surrounding skin and cause the calf unneccesary itching and irritation.
2) Apply plenty of paste. A good dollop so it covers the entire bud when squashed against it.
3) Wrap 2" gaffa tape around afterwards to hold it in place while it's working (just as important as the paste itself)

+1 to @Monty s method.
I switched from an iron to the paste after a similar discussion last year, I even get the stuff he uses delivered from his supplier above( they are v. good btw always trying to sell me something else).

 

[Monty]

+1 to @Monty s method.
I switched from an iron to the paste after a similar discussion last year, I even get the stuff he uses delivered from his supplier above( they are v. good btw always trying to sell me something else).

They're good at charging a lot for delivery and sending 2 syringes in a giant box also. I'm sure the other syringes of horn paste out there are just as good but haven't tried them.

 

[roscoe erf]

I use hornex all the time on the suckler calves and it is great. Be careful not to get it on your hand, put a dab on each horn site when you do the tags/rings and cover it with a piece of gaffer tape to keep it dry and stop mum catching a dose for a few hours. I reckon it is much less stressful than using an iron, and just as effective after a few tries. Ideal for a one man band.

+1 its great when used correctly i remove the calf from mum for around an hour so it does its job

 

[phil t]

What a ball ache trying to smear it on after cutting the hair. ..no thanks give me the gas iron

 

[devonshire farmer]

What a ball ache trying to smear it on after cutting the hair. ..no thanks give me the gas iron

Disagree, if used properly its much easier!
We find we keep them dehorned as they calf and tag them and makes life a lot easier doing a few at a time!