Author Topic: bullying granny! (Read 3744 times)

tattycat · « **on:** March 11, 2014, 08:54:05 pm »

Ok, giz a hand here.
Don't think Nanny with horns is in kid, seems to have had seasons, however, bagging up (mental yielder!). Her daughter defo in kid, looks like a pear! We've just moved nd not got shed divided. Nanny beating daughter up ramming her horns into belly. HORRIFIC!! Always waits until I've just got door shut.....
Needless to say drastic measures have been taken nd they now VERY APART!!
However, where we've moved from, the girl that's in kid now would open the door to let her mom through, who would then beat her up........Argh!!
Any goat psychologist's out there? Failing that , one for me!!

roddycm · « **Reply #1 on:** March 11, 2014, 09:35:58 pm »

Do they both have horns? If not they should not be penned in together precisely because the one with horns will bully the one without... I believe it is in fact illegal to house horned and non horned together. I would just keep them apart unless they are outside or in a big enough area where the pregnant one can get away. It's hard to stop the bullying, what a bore for you when you've just moved

hope she kids ok and that granny calms down! Good luck

fiestyredhead331 · « **Reply #2 on:** March 11, 2014, 10:51:36 pm »

According to government guidelines horned and polled goats can be kept together if they have been reared together,I have 2 guernsey sisters one with horns the other without and couldn't seperate them even if I wanted to!
Not that it helps your current situation, maybe granny is annoyed because she isn't in kid? Goats are funny things and stroppy when they take a notion!

Anke · « **Reply #3 on:** March 12, 2014, 06:40:49 am »

If the younger one was always bullied by the granny and they were sold to you together like that I think that was very irresponsible by the previous owner. They have just passed on the problem to an unsuspecting buyer... $:-\$

If the horned goat is butting the unhorned one, you will have to find a way to keep them apart, especially if the bullied one is in kid, I would probably try and bring in a new goat, and sell the offending one as a single goat into a new herd, where she should behave. However (and it sounds difficult) if you think the horned one will always bully other goats - goat curry is an option....

wytsend · « **Reply #4 on:** March 12, 2014, 09:46:17 am »

It is also perfectly possible for your Vet to remove the horns...................this will actually push her down the pecking order.

When adult horns are removed by the Vet using the cheesewire method....he will them cauterise the skin blood vessels. A hole will be left in the top of the skull..................don't panic, it is normal. Over the following days, a honey coloured goo will appear and seal the holes. It will take about a month to complete and during this time, the goat should be housed alone.

In the past, before movement restrictions were put in place, I used to buy in goats for people starting commercial herds. My Vet at that time would come out and it was not unusual for us to do 10 goats a day. They all went on to have happy lives in excellent conditions. They would not have had this opportunity with horns.

Anke · « **Reply #5 on:** March 12, 2014, 10:30:30 am »

You will struggle to find a vet to do that kind of op nowadays..... otherwise there wouldn't be that many males with horrible scurs around...

wytsend · « **Reply #6 on:** March 12, 2014, 12:57:35 pm »

Got 2 locally !!! Most farm Vets will take cattle horns off and not a lot different apart from the attachment area

tattycat · « **Reply #7 on:** March 12, 2014, 01:36:00 pm »

Thanks all!
Fiestyredhead331. That's about the size of it, can't split them totally, neither would have it! Last year granny stole one of her kids nd reared it like her own, she just won't rear her's!!
Anke, they are mother nd daughter and I've reared them..the only one of the 3 she reared! Nd couldn't do goat curry, she's a mammoth yielder nd also show goat!
Wytsend. I've seen rams horns being removed nd it looked like a scene from Sweeny Todds!! Nd when she's at show's nd the horns are oiled she looks magnificent! (She is Magnificent Madam Minkey) Don't know if I'd want to take them off now..
Has anyone noticed if any of they're ladies has a preference for the kids they rear? As Minkey has only reared her daughter, nd one of her daughters kids. Doesn't seem to want to rear the billy kids....

Anke · « **Reply #8 on:** March 12, 2014, 03:47:22 pm »

Oh I couldn't make sense of the moving bit... thought you had just bought them.

A successful show goat with horns? Wow! In the UK or are you somewhere else? Just surprised (not that the lack or presence of horns has any bearing on the milk yield, just unusual).

If the younger one (without horns) is in kid you really have to make sure she doesn't get beat up all the time, the stress is not good and good kick to the stomach could just kill the kid(s)... So I have no idea how you can do it, but I would build separate pens asap (they can see/sniff/touch noses but not hurt each other) and if they are not amenable to graze outside singly, I would just leave them inside until kidded and then see how it goes afterwards. I normally walk my pregnant ladies in the last week before kidding as they usually are very keen to just "slob on the sofa and watch daytime TV"....

tattycat · « **Reply #9 on:** March 13, 2014, 07:40:41 pm »

Hiya Anke. I'm in Ireland nd showing goats is a funny game over here! Politics seem to reign supreme . lol
I have problems posting pic's, but if your interested she's on the Arva Show website. Champion 2013. The Magnificent Madam Minkey.
The sheds been under construction since the incident, however during the day her daughter still gets as close to her as she can..Be glad when kiddings done! Hopefully still live....nd yes she's slobbing watching poultry politics! 4weeks to go nd she's huge.