We did a group 2 weeks ago the correct way and they're looking fine. The 4 we did tonight were 2 bucks & 2 does. I feel terrible that we forgot this part about nudging the center. Is this a big problem? I can go back and do it if it's really necessary, just wasn't sure how important it was to get the middle. Thanks everyone.

-Sharon

-- Sharon in AL (Sharonspaws@aol.com), February 15, 2002

Answers

I really don't feel it is that important.The main thing is to get the copper ring around the horn bud. We do nudge the center, especially on the larger horn buds if we didn't get the dehorning done as soon as possible. The trouble with trying to explain about "as soon as possible" is that different breeds have horn growth at different rates. With our Nubians we feel 2 weeks is about the right age. It could be done sooner, but we like to band the bucks at the same time, and most testicles have descended by two weeks.

-- Dianne Wood (woodgoat@pacifier.com), February 16, 2002.

We're going a little earlier each time, seems, on our Nubians. I like to have them done inside of a week(sometimes 4 days), seems like I have less trouble with scurs the sooner I do it. We hadn't even heard of nudging the center, though.

-- mary (marylgarcia@aol.com), February 16, 2002.

Oh thank you, I feel better now. Ours are Nubian/Alpine crosses and we try to do it between 5-7 days. Of the four that we did yesterday, the 2 does were 6 days old and the 2 bucks were 10 days old. I don't like to wait much longer than 10 days because they always seem to take it so much harder. Thanks again!

-- Sharon in AL (Sharonspaws@aol.com), February 16, 2002.