Hot-Iron Disbudding

Hot-Iron Disbudding

An iron is heated to red hot, then held firmly to the horn bud for about 20 seconds, destroying the horn-producing cells and preventing further growth.

Advantages: Bloodless, can be used in calves up to four months of age.

Disadvantages: More painful for the animal than caustic paste*; iron may fail to get back up to heat between calves, resulting in ineffective disbudding; requires more physical restraint of animal than paste disbudding; poses a risk of injury to the handler.

Link to article about hot-iron dehorning: https://www.journalofdairyscience.org/article/S0022-0302(05)72813-7/fulltext