# Our Jr. 4H rules on goats with horns



## pdpo222 (Jan 20, 2013)

I just brought up our 4H rules about goats with horns.  I'm not sure this is everywhere, but in our county, Angoras, Boers, and Pygmys are allowed to be horned.  All dairy and dairy crossed MUST be de horned.  NO exceptions.  I am so glad I found this out before I paid out all that money for a dehorner.  Hubby would of been livid.  He hates disbudding them, so now he will be really happy too.  I love horns.  Only my buck has them, but the others came that way.  So now I can leave mine the way God intended.  lol  I hear how bad horns are, but the Angora and Boer people seem to make it work.  And I always have.  But mine are more pets, on a large scale where you can't  give each goat  quality time it might not work, but I am so happy the can have horns.  That was the only reason I was going to disbud them was so they could be shown, not that problem is solved.  WTG fair people!!!!!


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jan 20, 2013)

My all time favorite post!!


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## michickenwrangler (Jan 20, 2013)

Our 4-H rules are similar but our 4-H goat leader is PRO-HORN all the way! He says that the only reason disbudding happens so much in the dairy world was because the dairy pioneers were women in the 1930s and the women found it easier to deal with non-horned goats. That's what he says anyway.

My own theory is that dairy horns tend to grow UP before curving back and make better weapons. I have dairy, Boer and Angoras goats all with horns. The Angora and Boer horns tend to sweep back along the skull without growing up, thus are less likely to gore someone by a careless thrust of the head. I've also noticed the Angoras and Boers become quite aware of their horns and are adept at getting in and out of tight spaces with them. The only time we ever had a goat get stuck was when one Angora wether managed to slip his head between 2 boards in the barn and it was his JAW not his horns that prevented him from backing out. 

Our 4-H leader is fighting to get horns allowed on dairy in our county, at least in the open division. Most of his goats are horned (those that have been disbudded have been disbudded by previous owners). 

If Dairy owners started breeding more for "along the skull" horns, horns might become more acceptable in dairy circles.


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jan 20, 2013)

> My own theory is that dairy horns tend to grow UP before curving back and make better weapons. The Angora and Boer horns tend to sweep back along the skull without growing up, thus are less likely to gore someone by a careless thrust of the head.


 Very true


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Jan 20, 2013)

Also a big part of why dairy goats are disbudded so often is because in dairy you must bring 200+ goats in the same area several times a day and you must have your hands on them, you must be close to them and many other goats, and the goats themselves are in close quarters with each other. In the meat goat world you have the same amount or less goats in a much larger area and those goats are not right with each other and are not with people or having to be handled often.

People are simply scared of horns. Why? I don't really know. Just like anything all you need to do if be smart with them and being able to trust a goat is a big thing. Watch what you're doing and be aware of the horns and know the goat.


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## promiseacres (Jan 20, 2013)

As a child I was butted by our poled suffolk many times...he was very nasty! I've been hit 1x by my painted desert (he thought I'd give him the hay quicker...) I'd much rather have the horned guy get me as it caught me on the sides of my leg which hurt a lot less than a skull! Of course I think we have an understanding now and don't expect it to happen again. JMO (yes I was imtimadated by the horns before...but now I"m good with them)  In fact if we ever get goats I'd def. not worry about the horns.


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## marilyn1 (Jan 20, 2013)

Mine have horns I like the also


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