[princesspiggy]

we are looking at a billy next week, he is at least 3 years. how long can a billy live / and work for?

[Anke]

Check his teeth (while wearing an old jacket and gloves if you don't like the smell), if he is broken mouthed he will be (well) over four years, full mouthed should be three to four, maybe five. Also look at is feet (to see if he has been looked after well and is not lame, lame boys don't like to work), ask to see a valid CAE certificate - if he hasn't got one, make it a condition of sale to get a test done by the current owners. Also see how easily he is handled, if he is difficult it will be quite a struggle for you to handle him in new surroundings. Has he got any mates to come with him, and/or do you have suitable company for him at your farm?

Check that he has progeny (registered?), if not registered, ask to see names and contact details of new onwers of offspring. It is quite difficult to ascertain that he is fertile, my tup last year was very eager and by all accounts properly serving the ladies, but just firing blanks, and there were absolutely no signs or possible reasons for it... tests for fertility can be quickly done by the vet, not sure about costs, but it is not that expensive.

What breed are you looking at? Is he registered? If not you really have to go with your instinct (if you don't know the current owners). Well kept boys do work until they are about 6 or 7, but need to keep in good condition.

[ballingall]

3 isn't a bad age to buy at. They can work until they are 6 or 7, as Anke says, and maybe even 8 at a push- but entire males do age quickly, so do try and double check his age.

Check his condition as well- too thin and he may not have been well looked after, and too overweight and he may struggle to work!


Beth

[princesspiggy]

i have a choice of father and/or son. i have a wether here for company if needed, plus we have a different bloodline billy kid coming in autumn. i would like to mate my nannies this year and the father is a proven registered billy, the son (about 1 yr) is not proven at all but still nice. im tempted to get both so we have "an hier and spare - lol". could you keep them together happily for most of year? ie the kid, goatling and mature billy together? we have room to build a special paddock at far end of farm so smelly billies wont be a problem.
thanx

[Anke]

If billy and his son are already living together they will stay happily together for life, introducing another young boy should probably also be possible, as he will not try and change the existing hierarchy, but may be it would be better to introduce the new wee boy together with a (wether) mate his age. I think it depends on how aggressive father and son are, difficult to judge.... (I have done introductions that way to my tups, but always also had a few wethers in the group too, and my tups are not very aggressive).

But three billies is quite a few to have and feed over the winter...

What breed are you keeping again?

[ballingall]

We've always found that our males will only live happily together if they have been introduced when they are young. We have two 1 year olds at the moment, and they have two pens side by side which they are in during the day, and then they go out in the field together all night.


Beth