Bad Dehorning? Need Foot Trim?

[andy]

We are enjoying our new Dexter heifer calf. She is doing very well overall. However I am increasingly concerned about her dehorning job and feet. I have uploaded pictures, hopefully successfully.

Her horns had been dehorned when we got her. It was the first time the man we bought her from had done it. I am working on finding out if he used paste, cut them out, etc.

The stubs are wiggly. There appears to be a cap of sorts that looks like it wants to fall off. Yet there is still some black horn material looking stuff underneat that seems to be growing up? I have never dehorned a cow and don't know what it should look like.

Also her feet seem to have grown over. Most people I talk to say don't worry about it, cows don't need their hooves trimmed, etc. They would be overgrown if they were sheep or goats though, I know that.

What do you think about either? Should I call on a vet?

Horn photo:
i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g415/sammm_bucus/Dexter/P1060474.jpg


Front hoof:

i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g415/sammm_bucus/Dexter/P1060471.jpg


Back hoof:

i1100.photobucket.com/albums/g415/sammm_bucus/Dexter/P1060472.jpg


Thanks for any advice! I hope the photos work and will edit/delete post if they don't.
Andy

[Olga]

Well, the horns are still attached and well. I'd wait till end of fly season and take her to a vet for a surgical dehorning. Or you cat get a tube dehorner www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e07689-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5&gas=dehornere and try it yourself. While it's recommended for calves under 60 days old, I've noticed that Dexter horns are smaller diameter for a longer period of time, so the 1" tube should still fit what you've got.
On the feet, congratulations on being able to pick up the feet! I don't know if you want to trim her yourself, it would be very similar to trimming goat feet. While they do look a little long, the should trim away on their own, I think. May be someone else will advise.
Good luck!

[rezzfullacres]

Pop the cap off and see what is under there, sometimes when paste is used, and not left on long enough it will only kill the outer horn but not the horn bud and you will get regrowth. If that is the case you can repaste the new growth, after popping off the cap use sandpaper on the new growth of horn, than paste and wrap or you can burn them off, that is the method I prefer. I do not dehorn my dexters we only dehorn the holstein babies....Her feet look like she has been on soft ground with no rock to walk on, you could trim if you would like...

[laughingllama75]

Personally I would hae the vet out to deal with the horns, that way YOU arent the big meanie. Also, I would trim the feet. those toes look a little long. Good luck!

[andy]

Thanks for the advice!

I thought the hooves looked a bit long and she is only on soft ground. In pasture all day. We are eager to walk her a bit which would take her on some gravel trails, but at the moment she is a bit skittish around cars still so we are waiting. She has only ever been in pasture and the soil is mostly a silty clay.

As for the horns- these are definitely my biggest concern. Frankly, we would rather NOT have her polled. But this is how she came. I have asked the previous owner how he did it but haven't heard back yet. I was reading a back issue of the PDCA journal (The Record, Spring 2008) that came with her when we bought her that was about dehorning. It said regrowth often grows back into the head. This is my major concern. The article said it may take up to 5 years for a dehorning scur to grow backward into the head. At that point I imagine there is little that could be done.

I would prefer that she re-grow long beautiful Dexter horns. But of course her health is my primary concern. Any advice on whether they can be left to regrow or if we must make sure they are taken off properly?

Andy

[rezzfullacres]

Aug 29, 2011 14:18:56 GMT -5 andy said:

As for the horns- these are definitely my biggest concern. Frankly, we would rather NOT have her polled.

Would prefer that she re-grow long beautiful Dexter horns. But of course her health is my primary concern. Any advice on whether they can be left to regrow or if we must make sure they are taken off properly?

Andy

Unless the dehorning was completly botched she will not have a good set of horns. I have seen some inward, down, backwards etc... I would would not take the chance and finish the deed.. You can do it yourself and the cow will not hold it against you..Where are you located? There may be someone close enough to you that couls offer some help to you..

[andy]

That's what I thought. I don't expect she will ever have a set of horns like the ones I see in pictures. What I really want is just to make sure she is healthy. I will try to get someone to come have a look. We live in Penobscot, Maine. Midcoast, almost downeast.

This site is great and I want to thank everyone on it for their excellent help, advice and support! Reading the boards and back posts is very informative.

Andy