De horning paste

Longneck

Member
Mixed Farmer
Just got some Hornex to use on my suckler calves but they told me it should be done in first 12 hours after birth.... Is this right as the first one is already 3 days old???
 

john mc d

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Argyll and Bute
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)
hi considering useing paste, when do you take the tape off and does the paste not come off when the tape is removed , thanks
 

Happy

Member
Location
Scotland
Do both here. Spring Calvers get Dr Larrson paste. Doing it all the wrong way with no scissors or tape by the sounds of it but works without fail.
Autumn calvers which calf outside still get done with Ritchey lighter fluid dehorning iron.
Paste is the much faster and easier way of doing it.
 

Agrivator

Member
Just got some Hornex to use on my suckler calves but they told me it should be done in first 12 hours after birth.... Is this right as the first one is already 3 days old???


Sometimes a calf needs to be a few days old before you can detect if it has horn buds, and sometimes even where they are.

Anyone who says it should be done in first 12 hours is probably a naive academic with no practical experience.
 

TheRanger

Member
Location
SW Scotland
According to the NADIS website:
The code of welfare strongly recommends against using caustic paste to disbud calves. If you do use such agents, their use is illegal in calves greater than 1 week of age

And according to the Red Tractor website a pain relief drug must be used. Who uses one and what do they use? Metacam I assume?
 

AftonShepherd

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Ayrshire
Sometimes a calf needs to be a few days old before you can detect if it has horn buds, and sometimes even where they are.

Anyone who says it should be done in first 12 hours is probably a naive academic with no practical experience.
We've used paste the last two years and I've missed 2 or 3 both years. Second year I kept a note of ones I thought were polled so at least I know I'm putting the paste on properly, just not great at feeling the buds.
 

AftonShepherd

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Ayrshire
Do both here. Spring Calvers get Dr Larrson paste. Doing it all the wrong way with no scissors or tape by the sounds of it but works without fail.
Autumn calvers which calf outside still get done with Ritchey lighter fluid dehorning iron.
Paste is the much faster and easier way of doing it.
No scissors or tape here either. Just fold the hair back, stick a dollop of paste on, fold the hair back over and keep calf away from the cow for an hour.

Used Dr Larsson over Hornex for the first time last year and don't like the syringe. Ended up filling a Hornex tub and using a lollipop stick as before.
 

Happy

Member
Location
Scotland
No scissors or tape here either. Just fold the hair back, stick a dollop of paste on, fold the hair back over and keep calf away from the cow for an hour.

Used Dr Larsson over Hornex for the first time last year and don't like the syringe. Ended up filling a Hornex tub and using a lollipop stick as before.
This thread just goes to show there are many ways to skin a cat!!
I also shut calves away from the cow for an hour. Have never used Hornex but like the syringe. I squirt it directly on bud then use a magnum stick to apply.
Small set of £10 clippers from Amazon used rather than scissors to remove hair from bud let’s you see exactly where it needs applying.
 

AftonShepherd

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
East Ayrshire
This thread just goes to show there are many ways to skin a cat!!
I also shut calves away from the cow for an hour. Have never used Hornex but like the syringe. I squirt it directly on bud then use a magnum stick to apply.
Small set of £10 clippers from eBay used rather than scissors to remove hair from bud let’s you see exactly where it needs applying.
Probably the fact I don't clip is why I can't get on with the syringe lol
 

Happy

Member
Location
Scotland
Probably the fact I don't clip is why I can't get on with the syringe lol
Forgot that after clipping I rub over the bud 3 or 4 times with the roughening file thingy you use before patching tyre tubes.
Never hard enough to draw blood but with hair being clipped does make bud stand out a bit more to see exactly where to apply the spot of paste.
 

SFI - What % were you taking out of production?

  • 0 %

    Votes: 79 42.7%
  • Up to 25%

    Votes: 64 34.6%
  • 25-50%

    Votes: 30 16.2%
  • 50-75%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 75-100%

    Votes: 3 1.6%
  • 100% I’ve had enough of farming!

    Votes: 6 3.2%

Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

  • 1,287
  • 1
As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
Top