How to Disbud

Ashley Chandler – Vet Tech

 How to Disbud
Firstly consider suitable restraint, how can we safely restrain animals for disbudding?

Anaesthetic block at Cornual nerve with between 4-5mls of local.

The picture to the left shows where to inject; follow the bud down towards
the eye and your finger will dip into a grove. This is where you want to be
injecting. Once needle is in slight draw back to make sure no blood as the vein and nerve run
next to each other and inject the local.

What pain relief drug would you give to work once the local has worn off?

Next trim hair around the bud

Once local has been given it takes between 5 – 15 minutes to work which gives
you time to do other calves or paper work if just the one. The local lasts about 90 minutes

Heat the disbudding iron up and check the block has worked on the calf by using a needle to check.
Place the disbudding iron on the bud and push and twist your way down leaving a white ring around the bud and the skin.

Remove the bud by using the iron to go underneath the bud. If required, perform cautery of the site.
Once the horn/bud has been removed, use a topical antibiotic spray and fly repellent if necessary.
 Why Disbud
• For the safety for us, other people and also for the safety of other animals.

• Cheaper, easier, safer and quicker than waiting to dehorn later in life.

• Less local required

• Farmers can perform this skill themselves if competent, but they are not allowed to do De-Horning.

• You are not allowed to transport horned cattle with un-horned cattle. This need not apply where animals have
been raised in compatible groups, are accustomed to each other, and where separation would cause distress; e.g.
females are accompanied by dependent young.

• Steps are being taken by the industry to reduce the need for disbuds, such as polled breeds
 Why Disbud
• Handling is a massive part of disbudding or De-Horning, if done wrong
you or the animal could be injured.

• Some farms might not be set up for horned animals as the cattle might not
be able to put their head into the feeders/crushes provided, as shown bottom right and left.

• Horns don’t always grow correctly, some start to curl and will grow into the animal’s head, causing severe
discomfort, pain and requiring veterinary attention and removal.

• Polled animals are animals that will not grow horns, such as Herefords, Aberdeen-Angus and
belted Galloways. These shouldn’t grow horns (very occasionally one is born with horns, depending upon their genetics

• Disbudding can be done all year round, vs. De-Horning which should only be done during the winter or
colder seasons, as flies may cause greater issues.
Issues if not performed – public eye
Farmers have other roles such as maintaining natural environments, such as the New Forest, but also making
sure they are safe.
Hundreds of New Forest Cows to lose their horns after attacks on dog walkers
Hundreds of cows in the New Forest will have their horns
removed following a series of attacks on dog walkers.

A rise in serious injuries to walkers in the 2022 period,

including an severe attack on a 86-year-old woman, has led to
the move.

The New Forest Commoners Defence Association (CDA) has

been forced to write a letter to the 200 people who are
registered to turn cattle out to graze the forest to dehorn their
stock.

Tony Hockley, chair of the CDA, said it was because people have
“lost any respect” for the dangers of livestock.
 Blind folding
Blindfolding calves prior to disbudding can reduce stress -
Farmers Weekly (fwi.co.uk)

Above is a link for Disbudding calves and research behind the blindfolding of animals to reduce
stress when disbudded.