[Dairylass72]

Hello,

I understand that with billy kids you either have to band them in the 1st 7 days or have a vet surgically castrate.

To help avoid later urinary calculi, it is better to wait to castrate.

So as I'd like to sell him, I want to find the right timing of castration, healing time, sale, and optimum for urinary health. So what age is a good time to castrate and be able to sell while they're still kids?

As I've not had any castrated before, what costs have you seen before so I have a reference point? Is it under local anesthetic or general?

On another note, how young can you test for Johnnes?

[Anke]

If done properly catsration by elastic band in the first week is very quick and successful - avoiding an operation. The kid will be in pain for a wee while, but usually after a couple of hours they will bounce round the pen as if nothing has happened.


To avoid problems later with blocked tubes due to urinariy calculii it is best to give wethers only very little concentrate, but leave them on hay and make sure he always has clean water to drink. I often give my boys warm water, which they love.


I only test goatlings and older for Johne's, my vet reckons male goats will often test negative all their lives as they do not have enough stress (no kidding and no lactation). Most important is the dam is negative at the time of kidding and after if she is feeding the kid.


Do you have a buyer already lined up? I have stopped selling wethers - we prefer to raise all our owns ones for meat for ourselves.

[Dairylass72]

Hopefully a buyer lined up. In convos at the moment.