The surgical dehorning of Merino ram lambs

Abstract

A rapid technique for surgically removing the horn buds of two to eight day old ram lambs was developed. Although the operation destroyed the bony horn core, loosely attached horn like growth were produced by the skin which grew in over the horn sites. Horn growth was not entirely eliminated even when a second operation was carried out as soon as the first had healed (one month). The horn sites of dehorned sheep were often struck by the sheep blowfly. The phenotype of the genetically polled ram could not be duplicated by surgical means.