Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
Descenting site
Injection site
for cornual
nerve block
Disbudding site
ZP
Figure 12.10 Disbudding and descenting site.
Location of the corneal nerve block. Redrawn by
Zeke Proctor from the Meat Goat Handbook.
Edited by T.A. Gipson, R.C. Merkel, K. Williams,
and T. Sahlu.
Figure 12.11 Elastrator band placed about 2
inches (5 cm) below the hairline in a groove.
Drawn by Zeke Proctor.
or gold color encircling the horn. This indicates that there
is separation of the skin to the base of the horn. This
process is repeated on the other horn bud. Descenting
could be done at the same time (Figure 12.10). The over-
zealous application of the disbudding iron can overheat the
calivarium causing brain damage and death (Dawson,
2007b ; Hooper, 1998 ; Pugh, 2002 ).
direct pressure, with hemostatic forceps, or by cauteriza-
tion with a disbudding iron. The base of the horn is con-
nected with the calivarium caudally. An overzealous
purchase of skin and horn could expose or damage the
brain (Hooper, 1998; Pugh, 2002).
Postoperative care consists of tetanus prophylaxis and
treating the surgical site like any other open wound. Cover
with light bandages over the openings in the skin, espe-
cially if the sinus was entered when the horn was removed.
Animals that have been recently dehorned should be kept
separate from other goats until the wounds have healed. If
separation is not possible, adequate pen size and feed bunk
space are a must. Dehorning older animals with large-
based horns is discouraged. Animal stresses, prolonged
healing, persistent sinusitis, and sinocutaneous fi stulas are
potential complications and reasons to discourage dehorn-
ing mature goats.
Some producers prefer elastrator dehorning of adult
goats from 3 months to 2 years of age. This procedure has
a success rate of 25-75%. The younger the goat is, the
higher the success rate will be. It takes anywhere from 3-6
weeks for the horn to fall. The key to success depends on
the band placed close to the skull. The horn base should
be shaved and clipped. The band is placed about 2 inches
(5 cm) below the base of the horn into a groove, thus
cutting off blood supply to the horn (Figure 12.11). In
younger animals, the band will weaken the horn over a
period of time and later the horn will fall off. In older
animals, the horn becomes brittle or changes shape, and
breaks off easily. Check bands weekly and add new bands
DEHORNING
Kids whose buds are too large to fi t into the recess of the
disbudding iron will have to be dehorned surgically under
heavy sedation and a cornual nerve or ring block. A vet-
erinarian should perform this procedure. The area around
the horn is clipped and prepped for surgery. Prior to the
beginning of preparation for surgery, antibiotic eye oint-
ment is put on both eyes to prevent any irritation from the
antiseptic used.
Place the goat in sternal recumbency with its head up
and looking forward. Make a circular incision 1-2 mm
outside the junction of the skin and the horn base. Obstetric
wire is placed in the incision and used to remove the horn
and surrounding skin. Due to the shape of the horn, the
wire should be pulled at a slightly ventral angle to ensure
removal of an adequate amount of skin around the cranial
aspect of the base of the horn. Repeat the procedure on the
opposite horn. Check around the base of each horn to
ensure that an adequate amount of skin has been removed
from each horn. If there is doubt, remove more skin along
the edges with a scalpel or heat the edges of the incision
with a disbudding iron. Hemorrhage is controlled with
Search WWH ::




Custom Search