stretch3050
Member
Hello, first time using Hornex paste, has anyone got any useful tips? When's best to apply it? Some said put gaffer tape over it to stop the cow licking it off? How much hair do you cut off?
Using Hornex paste tips
- Thread starter stretch3050
- Start date
remove the calf for a couple of hours and use the paste in a syringe i found that a lot easier than putting it on with stick
I use a pair of scissors to completely expose the horn bud at about 3 days old when they're tagged.
I've never used gaffa tape, though I've been told it's effective.
Do about 50 calves per year with it, the rest are polled. Never had more than two horn stumps grow.
Every other method of dehorning is barbaric by comparison.
I've never used gaffa tape, though I've been told it's effective.
Do about 50 calves per year with it, the rest are polled. Never had more than two horn stumps grow.
Every other method of dehorning is barbaric by comparison.
Hilly
Member
- Location
- Scottish Borders.
Buy a polled bull is the best tip.
Recoil
Member
- Location
- South East Wales
I started using a little battery powered hair trimmer last year and that is much easier than trimming with scissors. Trim, put paste on then put some gaffer tape over top of calves head. Don't get the paste on yourself, it burns pretty quickly. It can sometimes be tricky to find the horn buds, but most calves are fine.
Smudge
Member
- Location
- Pembrokeshire
What's the oldest the calf can be to use it?
Red Fred
Member
- Location
- Hants/Dorset border
Don't get a biton your finger, then pop behind a tree for a jimmy-riddle (he said knowingly). Otherwise as said above, do them on first day asap when tagging them, etc . 
- Location
- Scottish Borders
Don't use hornex, use the paste that roscoe showed above. It stays thick n gluey on the bud. Whereas the hornex turns runny , and if you put too much on it can run down into the eye with unpleasant results!
It's called Dr Larson's Horn Check Paste. Much much better than hornex.
It's called Dr Larson's Horn Check Paste. Much much better than hornex.
Recoil
Member
- Location
- South East Wales
Not sure, but we do ours at one day old. Mainly because I can then catch them on my own. After a couple of days they are too fast!
Q65
Member
- Location
- Perthshire
We used to use hornex but have moved on to the stuff that roscoe posted a pic of. Find it more user friendly, hornex a bit fiddly with the little stick.
Just part the hair put on and cover again, we don't keep calf away from mum either and get good results.
Some calves seem to find it tickley when parting hair and wriggle about a bit though!
Just part the hair put on and cover again, we don't keep calf away from mum either and get good results.
Some calves seem to find it tickley when parting hair and wriggle about a bit though!
I've never seen the horn check paste, will need to look out for it next time.
Always wonder why some folk don't get on with the paste?
We think it's great stuff and when the odd horn does grow it's never really that strong.
- Location
- Scottish Borders
The check paste stays gluey on the bud , and I find easier to use on my own doing the tagging etc of the calf. A quarter turn of the locking nut on the tube per bud, and one hand can hold the calf , while I apply the paste with the other!
The hornex is just more of a faff, I find, but each to their own!
Q65
Member
- Location
- Perthshire
Has anyone had a calf thats bled after using the paste. I had one a couple of years ago that was bleeding a few hours afterwards - had to give it a dab with hot iron to stop it eventually.
Have done several hundred over the years without any other problems.
Have done several hundred over the years without any other problems.
Wendy10
Member
- Location
- Carmarthenshire
does no one else use local anaesthetic? We always do. You are still burning off the horn, and the calf will kick the hornex off if they are in pain.
- Location
- Fife
Exactly. It's merely a chemical burn rather than a heat burn. If were a cow I'd pick the hot iron every time...
never seen that in any i have done
Wendy10
Member
- Location
- Carmarthenshire
Our routine is, inject, tag, paste. I do want to try the check paste though. Are there suppliers round here @roscoe erf ?
- Location
- Aberdeenshire
How long do folk keep the calves off the cow for? I started just putting them back straight away as the calves sometimes knocked off the paste trying to get out of the pen and when it got back to the cow the furious licking etc sometimes knocked it off too, I felt if you put them straight back there wasn't much of a fuss. I'm calving outside this year, so I think I'll leave them as long as I think I can catch them and use the tape idea!
don't know,haven't found one yet, get mine off the web
Last edited:
- Tags
- calf