heatherlynnky
Ridin' The Range
Ok I have a little issue. I have to buck babies and one stinks like mad already. 5 weeks old now so they are big enough. Do i just call up the vet and ask him to slip a band on or what? How is this usually done.
How to band my bucks
- Thread starter heatherlynnky
- Start date
SassyKat6181
Chillin' with the herd
from what i've heard, you are better to wait until at least 8 weeks. their urethra needs time to grow, which will help in preventing urinary calculi down the road
Goatherd
Overrun with beasties
The first question you have to answer to yourself is what is the purpose of these bucks turned wethers. If they are terminal and going to be used for food, when you band will not be of serious concern.
If you plan on keeping or selling them as pets, pack goats or any other long-time situation you would want to wait as long as possible to allow ample physical development of their urinary tract system. Early wethering can cause future and serious problems which can be irreversible.
The method you decide to use to wether them becomes a personal preference. On younger bucklings banding or cutting is often the preferred choice. Some use the burdizzo which crushes the spermatic cord and renders them infertile. As the goat matures, banding is sometimes not an option and then it would require a vet to surgically castrate the animal. This method is not that difficult as you might think but you would have the added expense incurred by using your vet.
If you plan on keeping or selling them as pets, pack goats or any other long-time situation you would want to wait as long as possible to allow ample physical development of their urinary tract system. Early wethering can cause future and serious problems which can be irreversible.
The method you decide to use to wether them becomes a personal preference. On younger bucklings banding or cutting is often the preferred choice. Some use the burdizzo which crushes the spermatic cord and renders them infertile. As the goat matures, banding is sometimes not an option and then it would require a vet to surgically castrate the animal. This method is not that difficult as you might think but you would have the added expense incurred by using your vet.
CrazyCatNChickenLady
Ridin' The Range
I bought an elastrator and a bag of bands at the feed store for like $12 total.. Its really easy to do yourself. Just make sure you get both in the band and then release pressure to release the band and slide the band up off the prongs. I've seen breeders advertize banding on their websites for $10-15 to band each kid. You can buy the stuff for the cost of one and the bag comes with about 100 bands! The first time I did it I was a little shakey becuse I was cutting off circulation to his man parts. It was seriously easy though! I cleaned my band and elastrator and the goat parts with povodone iodine first.
- Thread starter
- #5
heatherlynnky
Ridin' The Range
Good information to have. These goats would be pets I think. If they are sold of course I have no control over that part but in my mind they are to be pets. I was worried I was waiting too long. I have 3 more weeks at least to research YAY I am not sure I could do it so easily. I am more the unconscious type rather than the shaky type.CrazyCatNChickenLady said:
mdavenport0121
Ridin' The Range
I need to do this with my buck sometime this up coming week. Is it the same bands that you would get for calves? I did it with calves, probably will be a lot easier with a goat.
ksalvagno
Alpaca Master
No, the bands are much smaller. Use the small green bands.
mdavenport0121
Ridin' The Range
That's what I've used on calves. They would cut off my pinky finger!
ksalvagno
Alpaca Master
Wow, calves only need that small green band? Never would have guessed. I saw the bigger bands at TSC and assumed those were used for calves.
