How to disbud your goat

There are three main reasons goat owners dehorn their goats. Safety of family and friends. Even the nicest goat can accidentally hurt someone when spooked. Safety of other animals. Even friendly wrestling among goats can result in unintentionally injuries if the goat has horns. Safety of goats. Goats with horns have a higher chance of getting caught in fencing which leaves them vulnerable to predators. 

Dehorning should be done by 2 weeks of age. The horn bud begins to permanently attach to the skull after two weeks of age. Once you feel a small nub, it is time to dehorn. This can be felt as early as three days old. Waiting too long to dehorn will result in scurs. 

You will need a dehorner for goats and a box to hold the kid. We like the Rhinehart X-30. Allow the dehorner to heat up for 10 to 15 minutes before using. Place kid in box. You may need to put a towel in the bottom of the box, so they fit snugly. They will start to “cry” as soon as they are confined. Trim the hair around the horn bud. Test the dehorner on a piece of wood to make sure it is nice and hot. Should make a nice brown ring and smoke immediately. Hold the kid’s head and apply the dehorner right over the horn bud. Swivel the edges of the dehorner around the horn bud making sure to make contact on all sides. Hold no more than 8 seconds. There will be a lot of smoke and the kid will yell. Have mom nearby to comfort the baby once the job is done. You are aiming to make a nice copper ring. You may need to reapply the iron if there is not a copper ring. Once you complete the copper ring, take the edge of the iron tip, and carefully burn the center where the nub is. Burn just enough to scrape off the top of the nub. There is no need to apply anything to the burns. They are cauterized wounds.