Disbudding calves

This is a controversial subject in some circles, but we believe it is worth a little pain now to make sure the cows are safer to handle when they grow up which means a safer and longer life for them as well as being safer for people handling them.
We use caustic paste on the horn buds before the horns develop which kills the cells that are eventually going to grow the horn. They have to be separated from the other cows for 30 mins until the paste has done its business and kept out of the rain for 6 hours. We normally separate them overnight though to be on the safe side as we really don't want the paste on a cows udder.
We have just done Wellington and now Nathalie and Dorne. We haven't managed to catch Stu, but we are thinking of vealing him at 6 months so it doesn't matter too much.

This is Dorne and Nathalie while the cream is working.