Not many farmers in the country will love to see the task of disbudding calves roll around, but nevertheless it still needs to be done.

Disbudding should be carried out after the horn bud becomes visible, which should be before the calf turns two weeks-of-age.

Most farmers follow 'the earlier the better' mindset and try and stay on top of the task for the duration of spring calving, as once the calf is over one month-of-age, the task is considered dehorning.

The gold standard for a painful procedure such as disbudding is using both local anaesthetic and pain relief when under two weeks-of-age.

Once they are over two weeks-of-age, it is illegal to disbud a calf without using both local anaesthetic and pain relief under Animal Health and Welfare Regulations on painful procedures (SI No. 127 of 2014 and SI No 107 of 2014).

Disbudding

The only method of disbudding of calves that is legally permissible in Ireland is disbudding by thermal cauterisation up to 28-days-of age, according to SI No. 127/2014 – Animal Health and Welfare (Operations and Procedures) (No. 2) Regulations 2014.

The use of caustic paste for disbudding calves is also illegal, as caustic paste can cause severe pain that is not easily controlled by anaesthesia or pain relief.

Local anaesthetic and suitable pain relief medication can be got with a prescription from veterinary surgeons before a farmer disbuds their calves.

The calf should be restrained carefully with a calf-dehorning crate, before clipping the hair around the horns and administering the anaesthetic.

About 2-5ml of local anaesthetic should be administered halfway between the base of the ear and the corner of the eye.

Farmers should run their finger along to feel for a bony ridge in this area, and the nerve runs under this ridge.

The hot iron should be placed on the bud until the hair starts burning.

Once the burning begins, rotate the iron in a half circle while applying pressure to evenly distribute the heat.

This should be done until a copper-coloured ring of cauterized tissue encircles the bud, but it should not be done for more than 10-20 seconds.

Administer the pain relief medication before releasing the calf from the dehorning crate and inspect them after 30 minutes, cauterising any arteries that are still bleeding.

The calves should be inspected daily for about 10 days after the process for infections such as fly strike.

The farmer can expect the horn bud to fall off within four to six weeks.