# Noodles



## Genipher (Aug 18, 2018)

Saw this picture today and got to wondering if pool noodles can be used on horned goats to make them safer to be around? Or would they just rub them off? I also recently saw a picture of goats with tennis balls on the end of their horns. Does that really work in keeping other animals and humans from getting poked?

_Note: I don't have goats yet and I'm NOT planning on getting horned goats. Though lately, I've seen a lot of horned goats for sale on Craigslist.


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## Southern by choice (Aug 18, 2018)

I saw the video and commented on it. I will just copy and paste.

Actually this is a really good example of how NOT to raise bucklings. Set aside the pool noodles. The behavior is not good. It gives bucks a bad wrap when people who raise them don't know how to. grrr Young little bucks grow up to be big bucks and that is dangerous long term.

Teaching manners to all goats horned or not is the answer not noodles.  Now it may help on a well behaved animal to prevent the inevitable accidents. Goats can suddenly jump back or tuenand not be aware you are there as well as to protect other goats in close quarters.

Here is the video- hopefully it posts





__ https://www.facebook.com/video.php?v=10156264896814279


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## Goat Whisperer (Aug 18, 2018)

I saw this pic too. Don’t remember the story behind it though. 

If this is for human protection, they are already doing it wrong. Goats shouldn’t be aggressive towards humans. 

If it is to protect other goats, it may pad the blow slightly. 

But they are goats. They WILL get it off. Herd mates will try to eat it. We use pool noodles on our milkstsnds. Some of our yearling ND’s have little heads and pull it out of the stanchions. We put pool noodle on the bar and they just reach around and eat it


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## Goat Whisperer (Aug 18, 2018)

That goat would be turned into food if he were here…


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## Genipher (Aug 18, 2018)

Southern by choice said:


> I saw the video and commented on it. I will just copy and paste.
> 
> Actually this is a really good example of how NOT to raise bucklings. Set aside the pool noodles. The behavior is not good. It gives bucks a bad wrap when people who raise them don't know how to. grrr Young little bucks grow up to be big bucks and that is dangerous long term.
> 
> ...



Wow. I hadn't seen the video, just a picture. That little guy really wants a fight!


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## Genipher (Aug 18, 2018)

Goat Whisperer said:


> I saw this pic too. Don’t remember the story behind it though.
> 
> If this is for human protection, they are already doing it wrong. Goats shouldn’t be aggressive towards humans.
> 
> ...



Not the kind of noodles one wants to eat...


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## Southern by choice (Aug 18, 2018)

Goat Whisperer said:


> That goat would be turned into food if he were here…



I think you'd retrain it.


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## Genipher (Aug 18, 2018)

What about the tennis balls? I'm thinking more along the lines of keeping a goat from accidentally catching someone in the face.


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## Southern by choice (Aug 18, 2018)

Yeah, too many people "play" dumb games with their bucklings and then they grow up and it is a nightmare. We warn people all the time to NOT let your buckling jump on your back, face rub, blubber, lower head and push into you.... yeah .... those that don't head the warnings.... call 6 months later wondering "what can I do?"  

My answer- Listen next time.


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## Southern by choice (Aug 18, 2018)

Genipher said:


> What about the tennis balls? I'm thinking more along the lines of keeping a goat from accidentally catching someone in the face.



They get them off even if duck taped on.


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## Goat Whisperer (Aug 18, 2018)

Southern by choice said:


> They get them off even if duck taped on.


…and will get stuck in everything.


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## Donna R. Raybon (Aug 19, 2018)

Animal that is aggressive toward humans needs to be put in freezer asap.   

Yes, bucks can be pretty high maintenance in rutt but should NEVER be aggressive to people.  Ground work of good manners starts on day one!


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## heartsizedfarm (Aug 22, 2018)

I considered this at one time. I have a four month old Jacob, just castrated this week, ex-bottle baby, what a little monkey! But my vet said they use horns for heat regulation so I shouldn't mess with that. (Sigh) Back to training and firm handling and carrying a rake in the yard!


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## Genipher (Aug 22, 2018)

I didn't realize horns did that! Learned something new!


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## Southern by choice (Aug 22, 2018)

heartsizedfarm said:


> I considered this at one time. I have a four month old Jacob, just castrated this week, ex-bottle baby, what a little monkey! But my vet said they use horns for heat regulation so I shouldn't mess with that. (Sigh) Back to training and firm handling and carrying a rake in the yard!



Yes, this is often stated however there are polled goats and they have no issues so IMO the idea of keeping horns for "heat regulation" is a pretty weak argument. We have had horned, polled, disbudded goats and we live in  the South. It is hot and humid, haven't noticed any difference in any of the goats as far as horned, polled, or disbudded.
Sheep, like the Katahdin are naturally polled breed. They are hair sheep and perhaps there is a difference for hair sheep vs wool sheep but they seem to not have issues.

We had Jacobs sheep but we had the two horned. I would never own the 4 horned.


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## heartsizedfarm (Aug 22, 2018)

Well, I didn't choose the little four-horned guy.  His mama died when he was three days old and my friend who had him works eight hour shifts so couldn't manage the feeding. 

So he came to live in my kitchen, along with a very tiny floppy female Cashmere goat baby that had been mum-rejected. 

The two are now super-healthy, very bonded, and really cute critters. She's a babe, he's her champion. And I need knee-pads. It's all good.


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## Donna R. Raybon (Aug 22, 2018)

Vets do not like to disbud because they do not know howl!!!!   Horns are dangerous to all involved!!!!  Bet that vet has not gotten a black eye working a horned ewe!!!  At least with Katahdin polled genetics are available.   I hated working horned ewes as they would crowd underfoot when BC fetched them and bump me with horns!   Yeah, I think the Jacobs are cool-  in somebody else's pasture!  The double horned ones were freaky looking.

It is harder to find polled goat genetics because of high incidence of polled linked to hermaphrodite.

 If you want animal disbudded find a breeder who is good at it and let them teach you how.
You want horn buds just breaking through.  Get an iron that is high wattage and labeled for calves.  With a hot iron you get copper red ring quick and less stress on baby.  Get plans for box to hold baby where they stand and you sit on box while disbudding.


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