Dehorning
- Thread starter James7197
- Start date
M-J-G
Member
As long as you're getting good numbers on each place and aren't driving about too much, otherwise it will struggle to add up to a significant days pay once costs are subtracted.
I hate to mention it, but have you read the guidance notes in whatever ''Farm Assurance scheme'' you have in Northern Ireland.
It may be that only a Vet can dehorn cattle over a certain age. Bit what I do know is that many so-called lay-men will wait longer than the Vet for the local unaesthetic to work. One reason, to be charitable to Vets, is that farmers don't want the vet to stand around idly at £60/hr.
Did dehorning for a couple of years with daughter. I was the calf catcher and crush. She did the adrenocane injections and debuding with gas gun.
Some farms had all their calves in hutches with gateless pens (made from weld mesh)...so you couldn't use a dehorning crate..you then had to get in the hutch with a couple of fiesty heifers to put a halter on them. Then you had to get them out of the hutch and tie halter to the mesh and physically pin them to the mesh to inject them safely. After 10 mins they were dopey enough to dehorn, the dehorning was quick and pain free for the calf but not for the crush man as some calfs really didn't like being handled and are strong and kick. Daughter has a good few burn scars on her arms. Beware of farms with this arrangement as it is hard, painful and time consuming work.
Some farms leave it too long before dehorning and the calves are loose in a big pen with big buds. They are bigger,stronger and fast which makes catching them a challenge!
A dehorning crate is then essential as removing the buds is alot harder on both calf and human.
If you can find well organised big farms they are the ones to go for but you will need a fair few to make a living from and it's best to be a one man band.
If you don't like blood never volunteer to dehorn cattle with big horns.
Some farms had all their calves in hutches with gateless pens (made from weld mesh)...so you couldn't use a dehorning crate..you then had to get in the hutch with a couple of fiesty heifers to put a halter on them. Then you had to get them out of the hutch and tie halter to the mesh and physically pin them to the mesh to inject them safely. After 10 mins they were dopey enough to dehorn, the dehorning was quick and pain free for the calf but not for the crush man as some calfs really didn't like being handled and are strong and kick. Daughter has a good few burn scars on her arms. Beware of farms with this arrangement as it is hard, painful and time consuming work.
Some farms leave it too long before dehorning and the calves are loose in a big pen with big buds. They are bigger,stronger and fast which makes catching them a challenge!
A dehorning crate is then essential as removing the buds is alot harder on both calf and human.
If you can find well organised big farms they are the ones to go for but you will need a fair few to make a living from and it's best to be a one man band.
If you don't like blood never volunteer to dehorn cattle with big horns.
high plains drifter
Member
Was watching calves being de horned in new Zealand on YouTube. They have them in a pen altogether and jab them to put them to sleep then give the local anaesthetic then debud them.seems to take no time at all to do quite a number. Anyone seen that done over here?
Hill Dairy
Member
- Location
- Pembrokeshire
Cracking YouTube channel (the once a day farmer) . Thats the way to dehorne calves has to be the future for doing larger groups here?
our vets do it, but not seen it in person, also another vets advertising it in the market. looks the way to do it if you are block calving dairy herd
- Location
- Buxton, Derbyshire
Our vets have a team of girls who do it. They don't have a crush or anything, they just grab the calf and stick it's head between their knees!
They will go weekly to most farms and do half a dozen at a time, and they will also do any vaccinations at the same time.
They will go weekly to most farms and do half a dozen at a time, and they will also do any vaccinations at the same time.
M-J-G
Member
This thread reminds me why we are pretty much all polled now.
The odd horned calf we do have is de-budded by 48 hours
The odd horned calf we do have is de-budded by 48 hours
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