Disbudding and dehorning is painful so pain relief is essential. As a minimum, local anaesthetic is required, but many farmers provide more comprehensive pain relief.
When to disbud a calf
Early disbudding is better for both the calf and the operator. It is best to remove horn buds before six weeks of age. At this age, the horns are still small and have not yet attached to the skull.
Most farmers wait until the calf is at least a week old to disbud, when calves are usually robust, have passed the greatest risk period for scours, and the horn bud is easily felt.
Restraining a calf to be disbudded
To administer local anaesthetic and apply the hot iron, calves will need to be restrained to disbud safely and accurately. This may be in a purpose designed disbudding crate or in a head bail.
Another option for restraint is sedation, which can only be done by a vet. Sedation results in low stress disbudding for calves and handlers, and is ideal when other options for restraint are inadequate.
Pain relief
There are many benefits of using pain relief, including:
- less pain for the calf
- less stress for the calf
- reduced growth check
- reach weaning weight sooner
- faster recovery
- the calf is easier to handle during disbudding.
Options for pain relief
Local anaesthetic must be used when disbudding or dehorning an animal at any age and by any method. Local anaesthetic numbs the horn bud for about two hours. Using an anti-inflammatory or a topical anaesthetic as well will provide longer term pain relief for the calf. The graph below shows the effect of pain relief options.
If you would like to administer local anaesthetic yourself, you will need to discuss with your vet whether it is a possibility for your farm.
Methods of horn bud removal
All methods of disbudding require local anaesthetic.
Hot iron cautery is the most effective method used to disbud calves, and is used by 97% of farmers. Calves should be disbudded by hot iron between one and six weeks old.
Caustic paste should not be used as it can spread into the eyes or onto other calves, causing painful burns. There is also not currently a local anaesthetic that lasts long enough for use with caustic paste.
Scoop/amputation should not be used as it leaves a large open wound with risk of bleeding, infection and disease.
Dehorning older animals
Dehorning of older animals should be avoided by disbudding them as young calves. However, if animals are purchased with horns or if a horn re-grows and dehorning is required, local anaesthetic must be used, and additional pain relief is recommended.
Tipping (removal of the insensitive sharp end of the horn) is not dehorning. However, the length of the insensitive tip is variable and it isn’t obvious. There is risk of accidentally cutting through and exposing the living tissue. If this happens you have dehorned the animal, and if you haven’t used pain relief then you will be breaching welfare minimum standards. Animals can only be tipped once, as after the first tipping the sensitive tissue of the horn is usually very close to the end of the horn. Tipping also does little to reduce the disadvantages of having horned cattle and these animals can still be a danger to other cattle and handlers.