Horns or no horns

[BottleBabbiesrLife]

hey everyone I have 3 goats all with horns. I love horns. I'm doing a school assignment I want to see how many people like horns and how many don't like horns. I like horns I don't like the thought of burning a bud off. Let me know your thoughts
Thank you

Edited by staff

 

[Southern by choice]

Hello and welcome to BYH

No horns.
I once was very pro horn but time and experience has shown me otherwise.
I wrote an article on the subject- long overdue for an update... I guess I should get crackin' on that.
We had horned, disbudded and polled goats. We still have a few polled goats.
But simply put, although it was a progression... this is what finally caused us to draw the line.
This doe took to sharpening her horns to the point where they were daggers and then proceeded over time to bully all other goats and her livestock guardian dogs... she was sweet with people but dangerous to others. I loved the goat, and I could not have her goring the other animals. It was a decision that ultimately saved her from our freezer. She was sedated, and they were surgically removed, weeks of healing and she lives in our herd to this day with no issues.
When we have visitors to the farm and they ask about the disbudding, horned etc we physically bring out these horns- when they feel those points that is it- they clearly see why disbudding is necessary.

and this- broken horn/scur- this goat was rushed to the ER and saved- she nearly bled to death

and my cracked ribs from rescuing goats out of trees, and having bruises, near misses on my eye, rescuing goats out of fencing, vines, seeing gored goats... the list goes on. Horns locking with other goats and near strangling... these are all things that you learn over time. Having dairy goats especially- nope- no horns!

 

[Southern by choice]

yah my goats never headbutt there very bonded

It isn't from headbutting.
It looks like you have young goats... how old are they?

 

[Southern by choice]

The pic you put up- she is cute. I would never have guessed he had so many crosses in her.

 

[BottleBabbiesrLife]

thank you. she is adorable. she is bottle fed so super sweet

 

[Southern by choice]

We love our bottle babies too! We have done it all... dam raised, co-parented (dam & bottle) and bottle babies.
We spend a lot of time with our goats so our dam raised goats are super sweet too.
My favorite thing about goats is how much they can act like dogs- following you everywhere, curious, want hugs and neck rubs... just love love love goats!

Congratulations on getting your first goats. They are so much fun.

 

[Bills Vs Beaks]

No horns. one of my goats has a scur from the breeder not disbudding properly, and just a few days ago she escaped (whole nother thing about goats entirely, dont get me started) and as I carried her back she suddenly jerked her head backwards and I got a scur in the nostril. Ow. Thankfully it came out the same way it went in and didnt go sideways and rip my nose in half....... stop laughing! its not funny! ..........My family laughed too
And the time I was clipping hooves and I got a horn in the cheek (same goat too). Im definitely pro-no horns

 

[Wispy55]

I can easily see how dangerous horns can be. Have had my share of bruises and scratches but nothing convinced me more not to disbud than last winter. My Pygmy doe was near her delivery time and it was very cold. We had a birthing pen set up for her but she is one of those does that really likes to be outside. Unknown to us she had slipped outside to the outdoor stall and had given birth between checks. When I found her, one of her twins was dead and the other was near death. We immediately started warming the little fellow. When I went to take a look at mom, I didn't realized how cold she was at first. It wasn't until I felt her horns that I became aware of the fact she was suffering from hypothermia herself. She was attentive to her baby and was not shivering. She was past that point.My point is, without her horns to tell us she may have died. Nature gave the goats horns for heat regulation and in most cases it works well.

 

[Bo Peep Soays]

I have British Soay sheep, not goats, but hey, I love the horns. Yes, I've been rammed, knocked down, had to free them from fences, etc. Soay ewes and rams both have horns, but occasionally can also be polled. Very similar to goats. I cant tell you how many people have asked me about my "goats" ...

 

[Southern by choice]

I can easily see how dangerous horns can be. Have had my share of bruises and scratches but nothing convinced me more not to disbud than last winter. My Pygmy doe was near her delivery time and it was very cold. We had a birthing pen set up for her but she is one of those does that really likes to be outside. Unknown to us she had slipped outside to the outdoor stall and had given birth between checks. When I found her, one of her twins was dead and the other was near death. We immediately started warming the little fellow. When I went to take a look at mom, I didn't realized how cold she was at first. It wasn't until I felt her horns that I became aware of the fact she was suffering from hypothermia herself. She was attentive to her baby and was not shivering. She was past that point.My point is, without her horns to tell us she may have died. Nature gave the goats horns for heat regulation and in most cases it works well.

Oh, so I guess polled goats wouldn't stand a chance because there is no other way to tell if a goat is cold. Come on.

I have British Soay sheep, not goats, but hey, I love the horns. Yes, I've been rammed, knocked down, had to free them from fences, etc. Soay ewes and rams both have horns, but occasionally can also be polled. Very similar to goats. I cant tell you how many people have asked me about my "goats" ...View attachment 41857 View attachment 41857 View attachment 41858

We leave horns on the Kikos- they are beautiful. BUT a pitb!