Author Topic: 7 year old billy (Read 4816 times)

langdon · « **on:** March 21, 2011, 09:27:57 am »

the billy that we may be getting is a 7 yr old toggie, i had a good look at him and all seems
good, feet need a little trimming, bits are all in the right place and he looks in good shape i guess he is about
the 70 kg range.
we havent got him yet as we need to repair some fencing and me jeep has broken down again.
my question to all of you wonderfull people is, is he too old for mating now, i was thinking if i could get one young healthy billy kid from him, great!
he has been dehorned which is a bonus, he is coming from a public farm, what are your thoughts on that?
need to rush talk soon take care,
the pear tree

Anke · « **Reply #1 on:** March 21, 2011, 11:19:15 am »

Is he registered with BGS? If yes you can see if any of his progeny is registered too, for info. Also make sure he doesn't fire blanks and has been used this last autumn.

But make sure he comes with a valid CAE certificate, insist that the seller does that before you agree to buy him. Also ask his vaccination status, if not start him on a course of Lambivac (or Haptavac) as soon as he arrives. Also get him wormed as he leaves his old holding, then keep him inside (or on complete separate plot) until his worm count is clear.

ballingall · « **Reply #2 on:** March 21, 2011, 11:00:55 pm »

Entire males age quickly- so 7 is old for an entire male. It is very rare to see an entire male reach 10 years old- they are hard on themselves. As Anke says, I would be checking to see when he last sired kids, if not this year, did he have kids born in 09? If he didn't, then I might be concerned about him still being fertile.

If you keep a male from him as you suggest- who are you going to mate the male kid to? He will be related to his sister's and his mum.

He might do the job for you- but be cautious. Would you not be better approaching a local breeder? Lots of breeders don't keep that many male kids, and might let you have an unregistered kid for reasonable price.

Beth

Roxy · « **Reply #3 on:** March 21, 2011, 11:10:56 pm »

He is getting on for a breeding male, but probably still useable, especially as you only have a couple of females. Just puzzled why an intact male has been at a petting farm, there again maybe he was just used for breeding, not petting!!

He is going to be quite large and strong - so fences etc. need to withstand him.#
One question - with just two females, do you really need an intact billy of your own? What will he be doing once your two are in kid. There again, maybe two females is more than enough for him, and he will be happy!!! Just thinking of my pygmy billy. If his girls are in kid, and no others available he is a grumpy so and so.

langdon · « **Reply #4 on:** March 22, 2011, 04:19:59 pm »

thanks beth for reply, and thanks for reminding me of having a billy mating with relatives!
what do you mean by being cautious? of him being to old or any other matter?
i have tried other goat keepers but to no avail, mind you the kid season has just started hasnt it.
if we are to get him we would have male kids seprate till ready for eating, please excuse me if this is not your
ideal way of keeping them down in numbers.
if he can instead give us some good girls to love and have maybe we could replace him later from another stud.
what do you think of this any comments app.

langdon · « **Reply #5 on:** March 22, 2011, 04:26:08 pm »

his age does concern me but as i said to beth if we can get one or two nice girls from him, i
would probualy replace him in the future with a younger chap!
i just have to get milk flowing from milly and molly at sometime!
have tried other studs but no luck, as i said i think i will just go for it.

wytsend · « **Reply #6 on:** March 22, 2011, 04:37:01 pm »

I could not recommend a very mature male for a novice goat keeper.

The old boys do get very set in their ways and if things don't go their way, old males can be very agressive.

I had this same problem many years ago with a BT male - was in Sussex then. He resented the change greatly and even tho' he had a paddock/ shed all to himself & company next door... he could see everyhting that was happening in the yard.

It took 2 men to hold him... and to cover a female was a nightmare. We had to have him shot by a marksman in the end.

Not all males resent change but be prepared for the first signs.... a human male can be seen as a threat ... and you may only find this out when you are flat on the floor.

Be careful... safety should not be compromised. I am sure the present owners will assure you he is absolutely fine/gentle etc etc., but it is changing premises that can trigger a reaction.

Which is why most people get a male kid & train to their ways!!!!

Roxy · « **Reply #7 on:** March 23, 2011, 10:39:27 pm »

Wytsend, that is exactly why I want to keep my little pygmy intact. I can get him used to being on his own in his own quarters, and train him as I want him. The British Alpine intact billy I sold last year was a pleasure to own, and probably the nicest billy I have kept. I very much regret parting with him now, but at the time had no large females any more so he was wasted.

Langdon, I can see your point about having no suitable intact billy goats nearby. I am in the same position. I don't think we are trying to put you off having your own billy, but from someone who has kept them for a long time, both pygmy and large breeds, its important to get across to you what they can be like. They are very strong, can be very destructive, and if they take a dislike to you, dangerous too!!

How has the mature billy been kept? On his own, or with females or a castrated male maybe? Is he housed all the time, or allowed out in a field? How will you be keeping him? Have you any near neighbours - who may object to the smell, for one thing!!!

This is not "stop Langdon having a billy goat" far from it, just want to make sure you fully understand what a billy can be like.

wytsend · « **Reply #8 on:** March 24, 2011, 06:32:09 am »

Thank you Roxy for confirming my thinking... it is only when you have been on the receiving end of a male intent on 'dealing' with the problem, that you appreciate how big they are when on the legs.

Hopefully Roxy, we will be able to sort out your male problem !!!!

Roxy · « **Reply #9 on:** March 24, 2011, 10:09:37 am »

I assume we are talking about a male goat here, as I already have a human male, and he may notice if I move another in! But perhaps I could part ex for a younger model!!
,

wytsend · « **Reply #10 on:** March 24, 2011, 04:01:37 pm »

Hahahaha !!!!!!!!

fruitfarm · « **Reply #11 on:** March 25, 2011, 08:38:05 am »

If it's a public farm I should think they will have lots of kids any day now for all the (human) kids to bottle feed. Maybe have a word with them and get them to leave all the bits on a promising boy and then collect him when he's weaned. I agree that although he may well still be fertile he may also be a bit grumpy in new surroundings. I've got a husband like that! (Don't know about the "fertile" bit though. We won't be risking that!)

plumseverywhere · « **Reply #12 on:** March 26, 2011, 03:59:21 pm »

From what the experienced Billy keepers have said here Langdon, the only thing I'd want to add (as a mummy) is that having small children about the place with what might turn into a grumpy old, unpredictable, agressive billy goat might not be something you'd want

You are probably like me and cautious about letting the children near the goats anyway but given the choice it would be preferable to have animals that you believe you can trust if you look away for a split second.

Roxy · « **Reply #13 on:** March 27, 2011, 10:30:44 pm »

When I got my British Alpine intact billy goat, I was gobsmacked when the owner said he had bought it, and a female as "pets" for his two small children (looked about 5 and 4). He had never had goats before, let alone any experience of a billy. He had no idea they would smell, he was lucky, as it was summer, so he did not smell too bad at all!!

I later found out that he had bought the billy the week before, and realised it was too strong for the chidren to lead round the field!! It was a big goat, and surely anyone would realise not suitable for children to be around. He was very lucky that the billy was very well behaved, because he had enormous horns, and had he used them, the man would have known about it. I think the billy was grateful I came along as he had lived for a week in an old stable, eating just cabbages!!!