Dehorning Paste

[Downtown Pete]

Was just wondering if anybody out there uses dehorning paste on their club calves when they were born.  Had some ET heatwave calves this last spring that had horns and I left them alone so they could be cosmetically dehorned later on.  I thought this hurt their appearance and their sales.  We used to burn the horns off our commercial calves at branding years ago but pretty much have the horns bred out of them now. Would be leary of burning horns off the clubbies anyway. Guess I was just wondering if anybody used paste on them and what the pros and cons were.  Thanks for the input.

 

[SFASUshowman]

I have never used the paste on clubbies...but have a long time ago on some commercial calves...it works and their heads look good afterwards...but that paste will eat the mamma's bag up!  As far as burning, I am currently halter breaking a beefmaster heifer that had her horns burned on the same day that she was branded and I think her head looks terrific...I would dare to say the prettiest head on the place...I used to be a huge cosmetic fan when i was showing beefmasters about 18 yrs ago...then I showed mostly naturally polled(Angus, Hereford, and Clubbies) for yrs, now that I am dealing with some Brahman influenced again, i am just not liking the way the heads of the heifers that are cosmetically done look!

 

[knabe]

paste works great.  just keep them separate for a little bit.  they will scratch at it with their hind hoof.  you can put one of those dog scratcher shields on their head for an hour or so.  i always clip the hair off first.

 

[Okotoks]

When we use dehorning paste we put the paste on the button then pull the hair around the button back over. This way if the calves scratch or rub they don't remove the paste so easily. We like to do the horns within  a couple of days of birth. Like Knabe we seperate them from the cows for about an hour. We usually have smooth polls with evidence of horns. (you have to be careful they don't get rained or snowed on for a few hours)
Much prefer those 100% dehorning bulls!

 

[Shady Lane]

I think a cordless electric dehorner was on of the best investments I ever made, it does about 15 head on a charge, get them when they are a couple days old and just make sure you do a good job and it's dealt with and over.

 

[Cowfarmer65]

We've used the paste. We would put on the paste and then pull out the duct tape and cover them up.....keeps them from getting it off and rain or snow from washing it off...........Red Green would be proud.