What would the vet charge to disbud goats?

My vet charges $8 per kid. He is really knowledgable of livestock, and is really good with goats so I think $8 is a really good price. I have heard of vets charging $85 to disbud!! Which is outrageous. Maybe you could contact a local goat breeder and see if they would do it...probably wouldn't charge as much as the vet.

 

My mentor/ friend disbuds for me... I'm a big chicken and won't do it and my hubby did it once and said... nope... NO MORE.... so I buy her a bag of Chaffhaye per kid.... and we are all happy. I know someday I will have to learn to do it.... but I guess that will just mean

 

We drove 2 counties away to have our babies disbudded at a vet who charged $10 per kid. Not too bad until you have 8 kids to disbud and you can pick up an iron for about $60. We bit the bullet and bought one...my hubby holds and I disbud, and the iron paid for itself in 1 month. Not a pleasant task, but just another thing to add to the list of things that can be done. Note: some vet's won't use the iron, and want to surgically remove the bud...didn't go that route.

 

I've been calling around to get ideas before i buy my goats and I have discovered that the only way to know for sure is to call local vets in your area and ask them yourself.

I have found that the biggest difference is whether or not the vet is a livestock vet or a companion animal vet. Livestock vet wants $8 to $10 each and uses the iron. Companion animal vet wants to anesthetize and surgically remove and charge $80 plus the cost of pain meds and antibiotics. I don't plan to disbud mine but i did want to know the prices just for reference and i was pretty shocked when the first vet I called gave me a final out the door quote including office visit of over $100!

 

I called a vet on Wednesday to inquire and they quoted me $80 per kid. (I about choked!) At that rate, I'm beginning to like the look of horns.