Using the hyfrecator for dehorning the kid

Thermal and chemical cautery are two methods of dehorning goats, unfortunately they both have well known disadvantages. The use of the Hyfrecator (cautery by spark gap electro-dessication) in the kid which is under ten days of age, reduces the stresses of thermal or chemical cautery and produces consistently better cosmetic results. Hyfrecation is recommended as soon as possible after the kid is taking milk (colostrum) and gaining strength and weight, usually within several days of birth. The procedure for Hyfrecation is as follows. First, in order to see and destroy all of the germinal epithelium (horn bud), the surrounding hari must be removed either by close clipping or by using a depilatory cream. Next, the assistant holds the subject kid (preferably in an absorbant towel) in his arms, holding the head firmly but carefully to prevent choking. Then, using the Hyfrecator's light power outlet (white), the horn bud is outlined and along with a small amount of peripheal normal skin is lightly cauterized by the spark gap fray fulguration, desensitizing the target area for deeper cautery. After a short rest time in which accumulated heat is dissipated, the Hyfrecator outlet is changed to high power (red) and by short bursts, all of the horn bud is destroyed. In over twenty kids disbudded by this method, the owners reported little evidende of stress, no set back, rapid healing and no scours. There were increasingly unsatisfactory results when Hyfrecation was used on the more developed horn tissue of older kids

Bibliographic Details

Main Authors:	83537 Koger, L.M., 92553 McNiece, L., 6757 Dairy Goat Journal Publishing Co., Scottsdale, AZ (EUA), 33022 3. International Conference on Goat Production and Disease Tucson, AZ (EUA) 10-15 Ene 1982
Format:	Texto biblioteca
Language:	eng
Published:	Scottsdale, AZ (EUA) 1982
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