Ingrowing horns on sheep

[scatterbrainedlass]

What's the best way to deal with these? I've seen it done on tv with cheese wire but is it ok to do yourself or should it be a vet job? How much to leave behind? And is cheesewire the only option? TIA

 

[Ysgythan]

Buy sheep that don’t have horns.

 

[Chris123]

Angle grinder

 

[scatterbrainedlass]

Buy sheep that don’t have horns.

Bit late

 

[scatterbrainedlass]

Angle grinder

It's likely to end up with no nose as well as no horn!!

 

[bovine]

Dehorning sheep is an act of veterinary surgery, all you may remove yourself is a small insensitive tip.

We get quite a few brought to us, but I know a lot of people do it themselves. They are breaking the law and I'm surprised its not been picked up on my trading standards/farm assurance. That said I hate dehorning sheep so I don't want them all!

 

[GrannyAching]

We get one of two lambs each year where the horns get too close to the face. We just trim the tips, like @bovine says even if we have to do it a couple of times. It should be like trimming finger nails - no blood. We gave up on cheese wire for these tips we either use the great big bolt cutter type things that carriers use or a really sharp fine toothed saw but with one person holding the head absolutely rigid.

 

[foobar]

Gardening by-pass loppers are good for taking the tips off. Everyone should be encouraged to cull out anything that doesn't grow right if you ask me .

 

[msheep66]

When you say the tip of the horn are we talking about the last inch or less than an inch?

 

[FE35]

I'll second the garden loppers - quick & safe for taking off tips. Fine tooth saw is ok but needs someone to hold the head very still. Cheese wire is very effective for taking a larger amount off - they are hard work tho! The friction generates heat & makes blood loss minimal - also use anaesthetic for this. They're definitely a swaledale design flaw!

 

[GrannyAching]

When you say the tip of the horn are we talking about the last inch or less than an inch?

Inch, inch and a half. The good things about bolt cutters/loppers is you can nibble.

Tim Tyne's book has a whole section on resending horns which looks positively tortuous. (Also completely unnecessary in commercial sheep. We had a Wiltshire Horn who had to have his removed at a great age he got a personality transplant at the same time, went from being really grumpy and aggressive to bring a real Pussycat wanting fuss all the time.)

 

[Doc]

Use embryoyomy wire. Your Vet will have some.
I would go for the last curl at its lowest point and saw away, it's pretty quick and will save you a gym visit for the day. Pruning shears seem to crush as much as cut.
There is no neurological tissue at this point, so no need to bother with nerve blocks etc. The last third of the horn hasn't got a bony 'core' so won't bleed or be sensitive to the procedure.

 

[Paul E]

Hacksaw with a coarse blade (18 tpi)

Or a quick waft with a blowtorch until the horn goes soft and bend it out. As it grows it follows the new path, so shouldn't need doing again. Not as gruesome as it sounds, but the stink gets in your lungs!

 

[foobar]

Use embryoyomy wire. Your Vet will have some.
... Pruning shears seem to crush as much as cut.....

Use by-pass loppers rather than anvil loppers, then it doesn't crush.

 

[scatterbrainedlass]

Gardening by-pass loppers are good for taking the tips off. Everyone should be encouraged to cull out anything that doesn't grow right if you ask me .

Too right, he's going in the freezer, not keeping something with the risk of all offspring needing their horns cut off!