Horns in cattle - KOBRA - Universität Kassel

pressure for about 10 seconds up to 3 minutes to destroy the horn-forming tissue
(Rosenberger, 1970; Laden et al., 1985; Gottschalk et al., 1992; Wohlt et al., 1994;
McMeekan et al., 1998b; Parsons and Jensen, 2006; Stilwell et al., 2007). If the
burning device is not hot enough, the burning time can last much longer. The iron
should burn through the full thickness of the skin and the core of the bud has to turn
brown (Gottschalk et al., 1992). By destroying the vessels which surround the bud,
further growth of the horns is inhibited.
The electric buddex® dehorner with rechargeable battery designed for younger calves
up to an age of 21 days, is handled as described above, but due to the high
temperatures at the cauterising ring of the device, the burning process lasts only up to
7 seconds (DLG, 2003). According to Kahrer et al. (2008) however, one burning
process is not sufficient and the buddex® has to be applied at least two times to
ensure an entire interception of the blood supply of the horn buds.
While Gottschalk et al. (1992) do not give an exact age limit, they point out that in
younger calves the burning of the surrounding vessels is sufficient, whereas the whole
bud should be removed by levering it out from the side when the horn is further
developed. The heat of the burning device is supposed to close the damaged blood
vessels and, thus, no bleeding should occur if properly done (Parsons and Jensen,
2006). The cauterization also minimizes the risk of infection (Parsons and Jensen,
2006).
Taschke (1995) observed hot iron disbudding on a research farm in 73 calves and
found that 8 % of the calves showed major bleeding of the wound directly after
disbudding. One week afterwards 46 % of the wounds suppurated, after 3 weeks it
were 5 %. It took 4-6 weeks until the wounds had healed completely; according to
Kahrer et al. (2008) the healing process lasted even between 6 and 8 weeks. Taschke
(1995) also noticed that a black tinged necrosis of the bone was often visible in the
centre of the wound.
2.5.2.2. Disbudding with caustic paste
Various chemicals are used for the procedure such as potassium hydroxide, sodium
hydroxide, or fluids or pastes that contain nitric acid, trichloroacetic acid, antimony
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