Baby Castration

[OneFineAcre]

Do not wether them at two weeks. There is no harm in waiting to make sure they have time to develop fully and that is backed by more than enough professionals who have studies the effects of early castration and say it is unwise. If a urethra is narrow, even a very small stone could be lethal. Once they are older, do keep their diet in proper balance but if they do have a problem, it will be less likely to be disastrous than if they have had that chance to grow first.

We don't dam raise here but mom probably will show disinterest at eventually, but I would not separate them until they are at least 8 weeks and maybe more depending on their weight gain. I have heard of kids and dams that don't really wean and require some extra effort to get them to stop.

x2

I agree with not castrating too soon if you are keeping as pets.

Personally, I would wait until they are 3 months old to castrate.

That would also be a good time to separate. But, you may want to let them stay with their mom a couple weeks afterwards.

 

[Mamaboid]

We take our bucklings away from mom sometime between 10 and 12 weeks old. Personally I wouldn't even consider banding or castrating at any less than 3 months old. Just don't see any reason to. Yes, you should always feed properly and so on, but why add any unneeded risks if you don't have to. Just my opinion.

 

[Oakroot]

At 3 months they are sexually mature enough that they could cause pregnancy they also have much more developed blood vessels and nervous systems so banding at 3 months is far more risky and painful then doing it earlier. In many areas it is illegal to this this and is considered animal cruelty, for the same reasons you would never doc a lamb's tail via banding at 3 months. Just pointing out that there are significant reasons from both a herd management and animal welfare standpoints not to band that late. This is all made mute by doing surgical castration, where the risk is greatly reduced.

 

[DonnaBelle]

Well, you should be good and confused by now. LOL

DonnaBelle

 

[goatboy1973]

I have been in the goat business for 13 yrs. and have had nothing but bad experience with early castration. Do not castrate too early. Wait until he is older than 3 months to castrate and use emasculators (quick/easier on the kid) and not the bands.

 

[OneFineAcre]

I have been in the goat business for 13 yrs. and have had nothing but bad experience with early castration. Do not castrate too early. Wait until he is older than 3 months to castrate and use emasculators (quick/easier on the kid) and not the bands.

True that. Banding is easier on the owner only.

 

[elevan]

Do your research and decide what is right for your farm...here is my experience and opinions...

Don't castrate prior to 8 weeks of age, wait longer if you can.. Their urethra needs time to develop.

There are pros and cons to each method, do your research and chose what is best for your farm family.

Let mama decide when to wean...she'll likely start kicking them away around 6 weeks and wean them between 7-10 weeks which has been my experience.