Today, I am going to discuss very important topic with all read cash users. Being a vet and head of BCH Vet Clinic, I know very well what is the pain of your animal. So Now I am talking to Animal lovers. So read my article till end.
As you know a great number of animas have horn and these horns can harm you and your other animals as well. So you should remove these horns for their safety. Many users Criticize me that it is against animal rights. But believe me many good and every animal welfare societies approved that dehorning is beneficial for animal protection as well. After reading my article, you will be able to learn about following topics:
Dehorning Vs Disbuding
Significance and How you can implement this?
Different types of procedure for dehorning
Best Procedure for one year calf
Complications and How you can Tackle them?
References from where I get these concepts.
Dehorning Vs Disbuding
Dehorning can be defined as removal of horn and all the tissues that are helpful in horn production. In contrast, disbudding is the destructions of horn producing unit by hot-iron plates etc. Dehorning is best performed at less than one-month calves to save calves from complications. Calves Should dehorned in early Spring or fall session to avoid them from fly complications. Dehorning is significant to safe the animal from traumatic injury to other herds, to protect workers from injury during milking or transportation reduce aggressive behavior of animals and to facilitate animal handling (Cozzi et al., 2015). Dehorning can be done by 1) Chemical dehorning2) Hot iron Dehorning3) Tube dehorning4) Barnes dehorning5) Saw, Wires and Keystones Dehorners6) Scoop Dehorning (McMeekan et al., 1997)Farm ManagementBeing farm manager of 200 Sahiwal calves of about one year for fattening Purpose, I shall prefer to dehorn all the calves in early spring or fall by dividing into 10 groups, each group contains 20 calves. I shall start dehorning from 10 days before spring season and end at the end of May.Pre-Op Management of Calves1)I shall confirm that all instruments like artery forceps, Barnes dehorner etc. are properly sharpened and disinfected with povidone Iodine or Chlorhexidine.2)After this, Properly restraining of calves is done by squeeze chute or headgate and even through head and nose bar can be used for this purpose.3)Disinfection of the operation site of the animal.ProcedureBarnes dehorner cut the horns off and it is best applied for calves of age two months to one year of age (Meisner, 2008) . Barnes dehorner of different size are available in market. So, selection of dehorner depends upon mostly on horn size and person choice. For me, dehorner size should be 1/4-2/4 inch size to perform the procedure.
1)Place the dehorner with the its cutting part should align the wider part of base of horn.
2)Close the handles and place it on the horns.
3)Press the dehorner firmly against the calf’s head.
4)Open the handles of dehorner.
5)Give twisting motion when handles are completely opened.
6)make sure there is complete cut of horn from the skin.
Complications and How We can Tackle with them?
Severe bleeding and flies are biggest problems during this procedure and after this procedure (Matthew 2012). So, if bleeding starts used coagulant material as if it is not stopped calves can expire in no time. We used fly repellent containing oxytetracycline in spray form to save the calves from flies’ infestations. Dehorned calf needs about 10 days nursery care.
References:
Fred M. Hopkins, James B. Neel and F. David Kirkpatrick, (1999) Agriculture Extensions Services; Dehorning Calves page 1-7 Cozzi, G., Gottardo, F., Brscic, M., Contiero, B., Irrgang, N., Knierim, U., Pentelescu, O., Windig, J., Mirabito, L., Kling Eveillard, F., Dockes, A., Veissier, I., Velarde, A., Fuentes, C., Dalmau, A. and Winckler, C., 2015. Dehorning of cattle in the EU Member States: A quantitative survey of the current practices. Livestock Science, 179, pp.4-11.Meisner, M., 2008. Bovine Surgery of the Skin. Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice, 24(3), pp.517-526.Inc., H., 2021. Barnes-Type Scoop Dehorner. [online] Dehorning.com. Available at: <http://www.dehorning.com/dehorning-methods/barnes-or-gouger-dehorning> [Accessed 30 June 2021].
Cheers!
