Nose ring suggestions/recommendation?

[lakeportfarms]

What brand do you suggest and where to buy them.  I've heard about a few that don't hold up well.  We're taking a couple of yearling bulls to a local fair with some of our cows and they have to have them, even though they're probably the size of the 4 month old Angus bull that will be there and I can grab them by the scruff of the neck to lead them around, they're so docile.

And what about the temporary clip in rings?

[ssrdex]

Yes, anyone with info please share. Have a weanling bull come and I think I want a ring in his nose. Also, is this something easily done in a chute or should a vet do it?


Joel

Edited to add I found lots of info with a quick google search but firsthand experience appreciated.

[kansasdexters]

We have our vet do this procedure. He first uses a trocar and cannula to make a small hole, then he passes the sharp point of the open nose ring through this hole using the cannula as a guide. Once the open ring is through, he brings the open end around, closes it, and puts in the set screw with an allen wrench (this comes with the nose ring). The bull's head is restrained during this process.

When done this way, there is virtually no bleeding and very little discomfort. We put medicated Vaseline on the nose ring and move the ring (slide it from side to side) during the healing process.

www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e07afb-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5&gas=trocar

For young bulls (under 12 months old), we use a Small (2.5" x 5/16") brass bull ring supplied by Agri-Pro Enterprises:

www.valleyvet.com/ct_detail.html?pgguid=30e07b18-7b6a-11d5-a192-00b0d0204ae5&gas=bull ring

Even though the bull ring claims to be "self-piercing", it is much harder to get it properly placed and it causes far more discomfort to the animal if it is put in without doing the trocar procedure to make the hole first.

Patti

[carragheendexters]

Hi Patti, we do it the same way, the only difference is that our vet gives a little local in the nose tissue first. I think that probably hurts more than the making of the whole. Yes, self-piercing isn't quite "self-piercing", it isn't very sharp and is quite thick to get through the tissue, the vet tried that once and it was a battle to do. The clip in "nose clips" take a bit of training for them to get used to wearing them, I believe they are more uncomfortable than a pierced nose ring. Look after it the same way you look after newly pierced ears, as Patti suggested a bit of Vaseline on it to help it slide through, once or twice a day give it a twirl around, and clean off any gunk with a bit of antiseptic on a cloth. It heals up very quickly, so start training them with it within a week or two, there is no point in having a nose ring if you don't teach them about it, it will not be of any use to you later on if you ever really need to use it in an emergency situation. They need to know that you have control very early on.
regards Louise

[lakeportfarms]

Thanks...I think Roberta Wieringa mentioned to us once that the Agripro doesn't hold up, and that the Stone brand is the one they used that lasted.  In a 2-3/4" dimension for the Dexters, but I don't find that size anywhere.

Since we'll only be showing our one bull occasionally, and in the interim he's going to be out in our pasture with a lot of brush and apple tree branches, is that going to be a problem for him?  Or if we took it out in between I suspect the hole will eventually close in?  I'd hate to have him get stuck on a branch!

[Deleted]

I heard of a nasty accident on a bull due to the nose ring.

They have and always will use one in their bulls because they show. But one of the striving hopefuls learnt early on how to open gates.

After the nose ring went in, he didnt stop this behaviour and one morning was found with half his nose dangling from his face (thats all the desciption I will put here - but trust me when the injuries were descibed to me, I felt faint and things like this dont bother me usually)

He had to be put down as he couldnt eat nor drink even if the injury healed.
The vet couldnt repair the damage due to where the muscles had been torn and removed from the skull.

So my suggestion is, if you intend to have nose rings put in then you must check and double check paddocks, enclosures and trailers to ensure all that that could be caught by the nose ring is removed.

I understand these types of accidents may be rare................but wow, when they do happen........

We personally have decided against showing for this and only this reason.
We had big dreams of replacing our love for dog showing and socialising with like-minded people with moo showing but we cant control or remove enough of the possible obstacles around our place to help prevent this type of accident from happening to one of our boys.

Shame there isnt another way

[jamboru]

Great-grandad advised, never ring your own bull because your bull won't forget!
Aside from that, we turn older gate hooks to horizontal, but now use U-shaped catches with the hook on the chain end, not on the post. W.Zeppelin made a neat semi-circle bund wall of manure when he spent overnight attached to a gate hook. Fortunately he had been trained to tie short and had been shown at over-nighters, but that didn't detract from the sense of remorse inflicted on the carers. Poor little chap!
f