The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Goats => Topic started by: AlexInLincs on April 23, 2010, 05:16:33 pm
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Hi
General interest question, at a farm park recently I saw horned pygmies in with non-horned standard goats. Is this normal? I always thought you kept horned/non separate? Do you usually mix sizes or should they be kept in size groups?
Also, can you keep wethers with an entire billy?
Have always liked the naughtiness of the pygmies and would quite like some at some stage but know nothing about them!
Thanks
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I've got a horned saanen X in with 3 toggenburgs (disbudded so no horns). so far so good but early days! in a way she has the upper hand as she is the one that gets picked on by the family group of mum and 2 castrated boy kids.
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I have 6 Pygmy goats and they are amazing - 3 females and 3 wethers. I was always led to believe that you should never keep horned goats and disbudded ones together, all mine are disbudded. I also have 2 BT boys, 2 Golden Guernsey girls and 2 old dears but all are disbudded and all boys are castrated. The Pygmys are loving, nosey, mischevous and just great to have.
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oh no! now I'm really panicking. they were sold to me as they had lived together for ages but one still has horns (she's really gentle and when the other pick on her runs away)
the children are all told to 'watch out for horns' and are used to jacobs sheep.
I'm assuming that disbudding/dehorning would and could only happen to very young kids? it looks like i've made a big mistake :( I know the goat association says not to keep horned and dehorned together in a confined space, mine have 3 acres during the day but a shed at night - that's confined. oh bum.
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Don't panic too much Plums, I wouldn't recommend keeping horned and non horned together especially, but I know people who do and they don't have huge difficultly. I wouldn't try and take her horns off now, although I believe there are some chemical ways of removing horns but I don't know how good they are. If they get on well enough then they should be ok.
I particularly don't approve of horned pygmies being kept with adult large sized goats. That makes them just the right height to catch a big goat's udder, belly, or other delicate areas!
Beth
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ouch! yep, I can see that happening, not nice! ours have been together since they were 8 weeks or so, so have literally grown up together. I'm just wondering if a DEFRA spot check at some point might result in my horned goat being taken from me or something.
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No Defra can't take goats away, and I don't think you can disbud once they are older, I think a lot of blood would be likely (I am not good with blood...). Not many vets would tackle it and the animal would be under a lot of stress.
Also you get polled goats naturally and they live together with horned ones as well. If the goats have grown up together they should be fine. Just watch out that no bullying occurs now that they are in a new environment.
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Yep Anke is absolutely right- no way would anyone take away a goat for that. As Anke also said, you do get hornless goats, and in the wild they have to live with horned goats.
You will be fine Plums!
Beth
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Thank you!! I feel much more reassured now :) was so upset last night (also because of the pecking order business that this 4 seem to be re-establishing due to new surroundings - that I sat on the milking bench and cried. soppy horned goat then tried to climb on my lap (!) and was licking my face and neck, yuk!! but goes to show that I'd be devastated to lose her now (even if she is confused and thinks she's a dog!!)
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Oh, I'm sorry you were so upset. Your goat probably wanted to make you feel better. But also, they like the taste of salt of your skin. I don't like them licking me either, but some goats like doing it more than others. Do you new addition have names?
Beth
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the twin boys are ronnie and reggie. the girls are probably going to keep the names they always had, savannah and avocet. much better today now that I'm starting to understand the pecking order malarky but the biting and butting last night got to me! thanks Beth :)
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Lol Ronnie and Reggie. Savannah is a great name- and I can say that cause I had a goat called Savannah. Called her Ana for short.
Beth