AABP Executive Director Dr. Fred Gingrich is joined by Dr. Cassandra Tucker, professor at the University of California-Davis.

Tucker discusses that there have been changes over the past decade with how disbudding is done with caustic paste becoming more common vs. cautery methods that were previously more common. There is also the belief that caustic paste does not cause pain. The AABP guideline on disbudding and dehorning calves states that all methods of disbudding and dehorning cause pain, and providing analgesia is the standard of care. The misperception is that caustic paste causes less pain because the onset of pain is delayed vs. the immediate reaction of the burn from a cautery iron.

Veterinarians should provide protocols and training for providing analgesia for disbudding that includes both local anesthesia and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory (NSAID). Tucker discusses the failure rate of a cornual nerve block and methods to decrease failure rate and check the block before applying the iron or paste. The block provides loss of sensation for 1-2 hours, and therefore, an NSAID should be provided. We also discuss providing more than one dose of an NSAID.

Wound healing is also a critical part of evaluating a disbudding method. Tucker discusses a research trial where it showed that cautery iron wounds heal in 6-7 weeks while paste wounds take 14-18 weeks. Wound size and healing for paste was dependent on dose of the paste and shaving or not shaving the horn bud prior to application. Tucker walks through a summary of comparing cautery iron vs. caustic paste method of dehorning on the ability to control pain, wound healing, regrowth rates, damage to non-target tissue, and applicability to social or group housing. Veterinarians should consider these variables when developing a method of disbudding and an analgesic protocol for farms. Veterinarians should also provide training for caregivers to perform these procedures under proper local anesthesia and NSAIDs.

Tucker also mentions an organization she co-founded that focuses on research, grants and training for elevating the welfare of animals in food production. Find more information about Kinder Ground at this link.

The history and future of the cornual nerve block for calf disbudding

David B. Sheedy, Sharif S. Aly, Cassandra B. Tucker, Terry W. Lehenbauer

JDS Comm, July 2024, https://doi.org/10.3168/jdsc.2023-0506

Wound characteristics after disbudding: Part I - Effects of caustic paste dose and presence of hair

Alycia M. Drwencke, Sarah J.J. Adcock, Cassandra B. Tucker

J Dairy Sci , October 2025, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-26688

Wound characteristics after disbudding: Part II – Comparing cautery and caustic paste methods

Alycia M. Drwencke, Sarah J.J. Adcock, Cassandra B. Tucker

J Dairy Sci, October 2025, https://doi.org/10.3168/jds.2025-26687