Matilda's Horns

Matilda is our new Nubian kid who was born to Annie not long ago.  When the last set of triplets were born, we didn't de-horn (dis-bud) them.  We learned our lesson.  Many times in the following weeks and months, we heard crying out in the pasture only to go out and find that the goats had put their heads through the fence to eat green grass and got stuck in the fence.  While they could get their heads through the fence, when they went to pull out, their horns caught.

We'd run out and free them, but they are dim bulbs.  They would inevitably get stuck again.  It is not safe for them to have horns.  Furthermore, it is not safe for us.  Those horns can quickly put out your eye if you are not careful.  Of course to leave horns or remove them is a matter personal due the goat owner and there are strong opinions either way.

We decided to dis-bud Matilda when she was about 2 weeks old.  You could just feel the little nubs of her horns on her little head.

I used our cow clippers to trim the hair away from the horn buds.  We are using Dr. Naylor's De-Horning paste and we want to ensure the paste makes good contact with the horn bud area.

Then, using gloves, I held Matilda's head firmly and applied the paste on her horns and in a ring around the base of the horn.  Dr. Naylor's De-horning paste is made with Calcium Hydroxide and Sodium Hydroxide.  It prevents horn growth.

This stuff will burn you.  You want to make sure it doesn't get on you.  You also want to make sure it doesn't get in the animal's eyes.  To prevent this, we make a 'cap' over the paste area with duct tape.  Matilda cried and cried.  

Annie, the momma goat, did not like hearing her baby cry.  She poked her head up above the gate to the next stall to check things out.  

After 40 minutes we took the duct tape cap off Matilda's head and neutralized the de-horning paste with vinegar.  Matilda was back to her normal self, so while the de-horning paste caused some momentary discomfort, it ended quickly.  And hopefully we will see that the paste prevented horn growth so that Matilda won't get her head stuck in the fence and won't poke our eyes out.