# Wether not wethering...



## Molly (Dec 15, 2011)

I have a Nigerian Dwarf kid that was banded at 8 weeks old (he is now about 12 weeks old) and his boy parts have not fallen off yet.  They are hard and dried up, nothing seems infected at all...but they are still there.  I was going to get the vet out, to take them off...but not sure how she would do that?  Maybe I can do it?  Maybe I should wait some more?  Any ideas?  Thanks.


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## ThreeBoysChicks (Dec 15, 2011)

Wait a little while longer.  If I recall my boys took more than 30 days.  As long as they are dried up and not infected and there is no sweling, I think you are ok.


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## lilhill (Dec 15, 2011)

Just give it more time.   Some take longer and they will fall off on their own.


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## SDGsoap&dairy (Dec 15, 2011)

lilhill said:
			
		

> Just give it more time.   Some take longer and they will fall off on their own.


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## Molly (Dec 15, 2011)

Thanks for the advice, I was just a little concerned because I read it usually takes 10 - 14 days.  I will leave him and continue to check daily.  Thanks.


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## elevan (Dec 15, 2011)

Molly said:
			
		

> Thanks for the advice, I was just a little concerned because I read it usually takes 10 - 14 days.  I will leave him and continue to check daily.  Thanks.


I keep seeing people put this.  Where are you reading that I'm curious?

My last boy took about 6 weeks for his to fall off.  I have _never _seen them fall off in 10-14 days  :/


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## SheepGirl (Dec 15, 2011)

elevan said:
			
		

> Molly said:
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Normally it takes about two weeks for a lamb's tail to fall off after it has been banded. I know these are goats, but maybe there was some confusion about how fast things fall off with banding?


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## Molly (Dec 15, 2011)

Hmmm, I'm trying to find where I read that now...I'll keep looking and if I find I'll post the link.  Just glad he is not abnormal now


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## Molly (Dec 16, 2011)

http://www.luresext.edu/goats/training/management.html

Toward the end of the article it says 10  - 14 days.  I think I read it elsewhere as well.


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## elevan (Dec 16, 2011)

Molly said:
			
		

> http://www.luresext.edu/goats/training/management.html
> 
> Toward the end of the article it says 10  - 14 days.  I think I read it elsewhere as well.


Pulled from that link:


> Using an elastrator is an inexpensive, quick, and bloodless method of castration. It involves putting a heavy rubber ring around the scrotum near the body. The ring stops blood circulation to the scrotum and testicles and these will dry, shrivel, and slough off in 10 to 14 days. It must be done while the scrotum is still very small, i.e., from three days to three weeks of age depending on breed size, before the scrotal muscles and associated tissues develop.


THAT is on a university website!?!

First - as I said before I've never seen them fall off that soon...30 days has been the quickest.

Second - castrating between 3 days and 3 weeks of age will INCREASE the chances of the wether developing Urinary Calculi later in life.

But then the article is about meat goats and is most likely meant to discuss terminal goats.


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## Queen Mum (Dec 17, 2011)

Sheesh, with steers, they just cut them off below the band after a couple weeks, smear a little pine tar ointment on there and that is that.


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## elevan (Dec 17, 2011)

Queen Mum said:
			
		

> Sheesh, with steers, they just cut them off below the band after a couple weeks, smear a little pine tar ointment on there and that is that.


I suppose that if you really wanted to that you could do that with goats.  But to say that they fall off on their own in that time frame is incorrect.  And to suggest that they be wethered prior to 8 wks of age is asking for UC in the future.

eta:  Although in Ohio, I wouldn't suggest that...I'm sure it would be against the law now.  We also now have to administer pain meds when we wether.


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## redtailgal (Dec 17, 2011)

Queen Mum said:
			
		

> Sheesh, with steers, they just cut them off below the band after a couple weeks, smear a little pine tar ointment on there and that is that.


Never heard of this method! Is it common in Texas?

I just dont think I could do that.  

I stick to letting them just fall off! lol


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## elevan (Dec 17, 2011)

You'd also have to consider that in states such as Texas that it's drier and you'd have less incidence of infection setting in due to moisture entrapment than you would in the mid to northern states.


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## Queen Mum (Dec 17, 2011)

It isn't just in Texas.  They do it in Washington and Idaho with Big bull calves.   (I worked in Ag research for a short while and watched them do it for a couple days.)  They wait till the testicles have dried up and they are basically putting them in a chute to check for infections and other problems then they saw the thing off and put pine tar ointment on it and let them go.    The steers don't even seem to notice it.  They do it that way in Denmark as well.


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## SheepGirl (Dec 17, 2011)

elevan said:
			
		

> Queen Mum said:
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Where are you supposed to get pain meds? From a vet? 'Cause I know my feed store doesn't carry pain meds...just antibiotics, dewormers, vaccines, etc.


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## Queen Mum (Dec 17, 2011)

a low dose Aspirin is adequate.  One 81 mg. pill.   ASA is not good for the liver, but a one time dose is not going to be a problem.


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## MrsDieselEngineer (Dec 17, 2011)

I've banded lots of boys and I've never had them fall off in less then 4 weeks, and like Eleven said, most are around 6 weeks.


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