# Disbudding complications



## cloverhillgoats (May 23, 2008)

Help! We disbudded two 5 day old LaMancha X Nubian kids today. One of them is fine, but the other has been yelling in pain and has a 105 fever. I gave him 1/3 cc. banamine and put frozen peas on his head and he has stopped the yelling. He is panting and will only drink 4 oz. milk even though it is past time for his bottle. Should I give him antibiotics and lactated ringers? If so, what are the best antibiotics for this? Thanks.


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

He would not need antibiotics, there would be no infection at this time. Take the other kid's temp for comparison, it was a warm day here in Texas, maybe they were in the sun. I would keep offereing the bottle, and watch for excessive head/eye swelling. I would imagine he will be fine in the morning. The banamine will help. Don't worry about the LR yet.

btw who disbudded them, and do the little heads look ok?


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## cloverhillgoats (May 23, 2008)

My dh and I did it. We think the iron got really hot while we were busy talking with some visitors-it was plugged in for a long time. we were disbudding their kid for them--so I can't really compare temps, now. I called them and their little kid is fine. Also, not sure we waited long enough between sides. counted to five on each side Then went back for three count. The kid is a fair skinned kid and his head looks red outside of the copper ring. no oozing. The red part was swollen before I put the frozen peas on it. He was yelling and panting and his tongue was hanging out the side of his mouth and his right front foot started dragging. Then he had the fever. He is up and being nosy now-so that's a good sign. Just don't want him dehydrated. I was reading the posts on here-searching for info-and came across thermal meningitis--but there wasn't any treatment directions and I couldn't find any on google. Just don't want to lose him. Anyone know what to look for and how to know if it is thermal meningitis? Thanks for answering. This is only our second year to disbud. All the others were running around playing within minutes.


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

Ok, that is what I was wondering. If you had a basis for comparing this little fellow with other kids you have disbudded. So he is worse, tongue hanging, panting, right foot dragging. If his brain has swollen, you need to reduce the swelling with cold (the peas) and an anti-inflamatory (isn't banamine an anti-inflamatory as well as a pain killer?) Which you did immediately following the procedure. It is still swelling so I would think more banamine within limits.


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

If it makes you feel any better, I had a doeling that had a problem after the vet disbudded her (it was before I had my own iron) She was not right for a long time. It hurt her to nurse if she bumped her head against the doe. She would cry out. it was obvious she had head pain. it lasted weeks. She grew out of it.


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## SALTCREEK_Nubians_Linda (Nov 13, 2007)

Isn't 5 days a little early for Nubian kids? I usualy wait until they're 2 weeks old. Always remember that the skull on a baby goat is not very thick, so you must have your iron hot enough and be quick with it. Let the kid's head cool between horn buds too.


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## hsmomof4 (Oct 31, 2008)

I would not wait two weeks to disbud a nubian, especially a buck. All of my goats have been disbudded by the time they were a week old and this year, even a little earlier. I have a buckling in the barn now who was born on Sunday and I don't want to wait any longer on him...his horn buds are already getting big.


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## VickiLynne (Feb 8, 2008)

Hope your little guy is better. Please keep us posted.

Vicki in NC


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

Rachel, how is the little kid today?


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## nightskyfarm (Sep 7, 2009)

Sounds like you did not disbud long enough if you only burned the horn buds for 5 sec on a 5 day old. The animal is more likely in pain. My iron gets cherry red and I disbud most all my kids at 3 - 4 days ( bucks at 3) Hold the iron for 10 - 12 secs with a slight and steady rolling motion, counting as I go. I use firm pressure, but do not bear down. My first kids that I disbudded years ago, I felt sorry for them and did not burn enough and had to reburn which is much worse. If they are bothered by the disbudding job and making noise, trying to scratch at their head, shaking their head, unable to concentrate on eating; you have not burned enough. The kid after disbudding should not show those signs or be depressed; they should latch onto a bottle and nurse vigorously immediately after disbudding. Just my experience. Jennifer


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## ourark (Jul 9, 2009)

So when should we be disbudding different ones?
I am going to have
Nubians
Alpine/Nubian
Lamancha/Nubian
babies @ the end of the month. When should I disbud them? I tried disbudding last year, my first year and it was a little bit of a hit and miss on how they ended up. I would really like to do a better job at it this year.


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

I like to do my LaManchas at 4-9 days. I will try to keep notes this year on the ages when they are done (ha ha). I usually have a bunch of kids out here and some years I let a few get too big. So I am getting them early this year. I am armed and ready. I did 6 of my neighbors Nubians already so I have everything in working order.


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## nightskyfarm (Sep 7, 2009)

La Mancha buck horns grow very quickly and I like to do the bucks at 3 days tops. I have even done La Mancha bucks at 2 days. I really hate scurs on my bucks whether the animal os destined for breeding or to raise for dinner. Does, I will wait a little longer depending on the size horn bud. If I can distinctly feel the button - I will disbud. Jennifer


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## NubianSoaps.com (Oct 26, 2007)

It so depends on your iron and the tip you use. If you held my new Rhinehart 50 onto a head for 10 to 12 seconds on a 3 to 5 day old head it would burn into the brain. This new iron is super hot and quick. My old one yes, we did count to 10 to 15. The longer they are plugged in the hotter they get.

I give banamine to any kids who are having a harder time with the disbudding than others. I put 9 kids in the milkroom and we disbudded one right after the other, when we were getting almost done, one of the first done bucklings jumped right back up into my husbands lap...so much for it being an awful experience 

None of my nubian kids get done until the second weekend after they are born, it's tougher with the minlamanchas, the more lamancha they are the quicker they grow buds, so I do it much more by feel than by age. Vicki


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## Feral Nature (Oct 26, 2007)

The LaMancha buck kids that were born here today had horn buds quite visable and palpable at birth. I will try to get a photo if I remember.


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## cloverhillgoats (May 23, 2008)

Hi everyone! Just wanted to let you know that he is doing fine, now. Thanks for all of your help. I'm sure we have a lot to learn. This forum is THE PLACE! Thanks again.


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## Legend Hills (May 29, 2008)

I certainly agree with you Rachel. This forum is great! I'm so glad he is doing well now.  I just disbudded my buckling yesterday. Alpine bucks are notorious for having horn bumps at birth. Silly things. I don't know about Lamanchas but I'll know next year as we'll be having LM kids and Alpine kids in 2011.


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