Stupid goat question

This isn't a question about a goat that is stupid, rather a question that I should be able to figure out on my own, but is driving me nuts so I thought I'd ask.

Sven learned how to breed 2 days ago and has successfully, and repeatedly, managed to get the deed done over these past hours. Walter... well Walter doesn't get it. He tries, but maybe not so much on the success side. He makes a lot of noise and stink, but nothing else. He's being nutted, waiting on a quote from the vet to slice him because I can't find a bander big enough for his... well you see where this is going.

That said, Sven will still be all he can be until we get a quality buck in and decide where we're taking things. Will he leave the girls alone when they're not in heat? How long do heats last? He's been at Gretel constantly for 2 days, I don't even know if they've slept. I tried removing the boys, they broke in, removing the girls, boys broke out, removing all but Gretel -- well you get it. They have a fence, but the gate is not yet completed and is kind of rag tag. I'm side tracking. I feel so bad for her, she keeps walking and running away from him, him still tightly gripped on, feet firmly planted as she drags him along.

I'm putting this out there: There'll be a buck pen, with a wethered Sven and Walter and some smelly buck that can be kept away from the girls until breeding time. They're so gross.

he will bug her for awhile I dont know how large your pen is but as long as she can get away she will be fine for awhile as long as she clamps her tail he wont hurt her I would try and get a buck pen built fast as he wont stop

appway wrote:he will bug her for awhile I dont know how large your pen is but as long as she can get away she will be fine for awhile  as long as she clamps her tail he wont hurt her I would try and get a buck pen built fast as he wont stop

They free ranged all day yesterday and she just wasn't left alone.

I might just get them both nutted. She's bred and will produce enough milk for us.

I used to have a setup that worked well. My buck was in a pen that he could escape from. But there was stairs and a landing outside the pen so the doe could jump in whenever she wanted. When I'd find her in the pen, I knew she'd been bred.

Hobble that miserable goat! Put a pair of pants on him! Obnoxious barnyard business. I will not tolerate over-sexed boys. Too bad castrating a rooster requires chopping his head off, but that is the #1 cure for roosters who are bedside bullies. I have one Romeo headed to an early grave, all the girls huddle inside on the roost to avoid him. A death sentence. Testosterone is the stupid hormone.

Sweetened, I don't know about in your area, but here, we can rent/borrow a large banding tool and purchase large bands by the each from our local UFA store. The bands are made out of surgical tubing, and can be used to de-nut a fairly large calf. They might be overkill on a goat, depending on the size of his dangly bits, but there should be a similar solution out there somewhere for a goat.

.

Hi Higgins;

I have looked at this device, but I'm not comfortable with using it.  More room for error, in my opinion, and without someone experienced around to show me, I'm not interested in just giving it a go willy nilly.  I know this is used in the UK as banding is banned. Apparently there's a contraption called a 'californian' bander, which is ultra large. I will have to see if these can be rented or leased, but I don't think theres anywhere here that does that...

I do like that Idea, Fowler.  When she's -that- interested, well, she'll invite herself in!  I suspect the quote will be high, but need to find out.  I'd prefer the slice, seems cleaner to me anyway.  I'm getting a quote for Sven's boched dehorning as well, as I'd like to have them re-done so he can stop cracking them open and ending up in pain and even more gross.

We use a similar device when cutting (castrating with a knife) older calves with larger testicles. It stops the bleeding and seems to help prevent stagy calves. Please note all our calves have freezing before castration.

The bander or Burdizzo?

The burdizzo makes my teeth hurt. That crunching sound ... aiiieeeeee! We have not used one here on the farm for quite some time, preferring to band the calves as newborns.

authenticfarm wrote:The burdizzo makes my teeth hurt. That crunching sound ... aiiieeeeee! We have not used one here on the farm for quite some time, preferring to band the calves as newborns.

I waited to band after reading that its best to do it between 4 and 9 months on goats to prevent bladder crystals and so on. Otherwise, they would have come off on day one!

Sweetened wrote:The bander or Burdizzo?

Burdizzo. Used to band all the calves at birth but now castrate.
Banding at birth is the easiest if you are doing small numbers. We have purebreds and commercials here and it is just easier to castrate all an once including any purebreds that are not good enough before turn out.

I understand now. It's one of those things, if I had someone to mentor on for a day, I'd consider using them, but I will NOT do that without a learn-ed expert. I've also heard they end up agitated for a few days where as banding is an hour or so. Not sure how true that is or if it's just how people do it or whatnot.

.

sweetend have a friend in Strasbourg selling a grade Saanen Buckling from real good Milking lines if you are interested She wants 200.00 for him he is weaned he should sire good milking goats or for a meat herd good growthy kids

Thanks hun, funny I'll be out there tomorrow.

No thanks on the buck, I've had enough until next spring. The boys are being nutted tonight. Found a bander big enough.

Okay no problem and I am sure your does are bred by now LOL Roxey has nice goats if you ever are interested she shows and has a nice milking homestead type herd

Roxey and I have spoken, actually, on different matters. I've seen some of her goats and they are beautiful.

Small world EH
She is a great person and Loves her goats dearly

What happened to Sweetened?

Yes, why is she only a guest now?