[JulieWall]

He's a pretty one, I love the way the mum is looking at him. Good luck for Saturday I hope all goes well with the poorly nanny and her kids are delivered safely.

[Anke]

At what age are goats ready to eat? With our sheep we don't eat then until they are a year old.

I took my BT wethers last time at just under 10 months and they killed out at between 22 and 25kgs (so liveweight about 50kgs). They were getting really quite pushy and becoming a pain in the proverbial... Meat very nice.

[clydesdaleclopper]

If you are eating them do you still disbud them?

[Anke]

If you are eating them do you still disbud them?

We do, as all of mine (boys and girls) grow up together and my penning/hayrack system wouldn't really cope with horns. I know it adds to the cost, but we eat them because I really, really hate to have to despatch them straight after birth... so may not be an economical option BUT we cannot by meat of this quality anywhere local and I know what has gone into them (our main reason for "growing" our own meat - pork, mutton and goat, plus various poultry/fowl - is to make sure we know what we eat!).

[clydesdaleclopper]

I thought so but wasn't sure how quickly the horns grow. I asked my vet about disbudding but she seemed pretty clueless. Am I correct in thinking that it is within the first week that it needs done? I am going to see if I can get a more experienced vet to do it even if I have to travel a bit further.

[fsmnutter]

I did ours in the practice at 2-6 days (recommended to be between 2-7) old.
I gave them all anaesthetic gas as the local anaesthetic doses required for kids are very close to dangerous levels, and an anti-inflammatory painkiller injection (the boys were also rubber ringed while under).
They were disbudded in a similar way to calves, with care taken to make sure the burner wasn't applied for too long as they have thin skulls there, and all buds scooped out with the dehorning iron, then blue spray applied.
All were none the worse for wear, and bouncing around back in the field in the afternoon.
Hope that helps
Suzanne

[Anke]

I thought so but wasn't sure how quickly the horns grow. I asked my vet about disbudding but she seemed pretty clueless. Am I correct in thinking that it is within the first week that it needs done? I am going to see if I can get a more experienced vet to do it even if I have to travel a bit further.

I would try and find a vet that is more clued up about disbudding, not an operation for the inexperienced (it is not the vet's fault -it isn't taught at vet school so unless they have clients with goats they have no chance of learning & even more important practising). But yes, mine are done exactly as fsmnutter says.

Boys may come back feeling a little bit sorry for themselves, and I normally let them go back to their mum for another 24 to 48 hours - until I see them bouncing about again - before I separate and put onto the bottle. If only a single kid you almost certainly will have to milk some out from the dam anyway, mine (even with twins and triplets) almost always just use on side of the udder...

[Mays]

He is a very charming kid, and I have told Tomiche he is a Dad again  such a pity your scanner got it wrong and built your hopes up, because one live kid is still ace, and will give you great joy to have around for the next few months 

good luck with the next kidding, please txt me soon as they arrive as I will waiting to hear 

[Penninehillbilly]

I did ours in the practice at 2-6 days (recommended to be between 2-7) old.
I gave them all anaesthetic gas as the local anaesthetic doses required for kids are very close to dangerous levels, and an anti-inflammatory painkiller injection (the boys were also rubber ringed while under).
They were disbudded in a similar way to calves, with care taken to make sure the burner wasn't applied for too long as they have thin skulls there, and all buds scooped out with the dehorning iron, then blue spray applied.
All were none the worse for wear, and bouncing around back in the field in the afternoon.
Hope that helps
Suzanne

I took my 2 female kids in a couple of weeks ago, one is OK, the other I'm beginning to think I might lose her, she hasn't really recovered, not growing like her sister and has a strange pathetic little bleat, I let them out the other day when it was warm and she just laid in the field while the others wandered off, I brought her back in. I'm thinking he did some damage to her.
Not happy with that vet.
The 2 boys will keep their horns, at £35 each to disbud and I only got £70 last year (£60 because £10 for slaughter), it isn't worth it, or after seeing the little female I don't want to risk another.

[clydesdaleclopper]

Oh dear - that sounds worrying. I'll keep everything crossed for you that she is okay.


Is it common to have problems after disbudding?

[goosepimple]

Good ears, be careful or he'll hear you.

[Penninehillbilly]

Oh dear - that sounds worrying. I'll keep everything crossed for you that she is okay.
Is it common to have problems after disbudding?

Thanks, she's still here, but much smaller than her sister now, she was dancing in the field with the others yesterday evening, but I'm not 100% sure yet.
I've heard of problems, but there must be lots done for the shows, maybe we were just unlucky  .
Your little chap looks so sweet, how is he doing, and how is the other girl doing, any babies yet?

[clydesdaleclopper]

No, other babies still aren't here and my stress levels are high. I'm expecting her to have malpresented kids as I don't think they will be able to get into position properly and I'm really worried.

[Anke]

Oh dear - that sounds worrying. I'll keep everything crossed for you that she is okay.
Is it common to have problems after disbudding?

Thanks, she's still here, but much smaller than her sister now, she was dancing in the field with the others yesterday evening, but I'm not 100% sure yet.
I've heard of problems, but there must be lots done for the shows, maybe we were just unlucky  .
Your little chap looks so sweet, how is he doing, and how is the other girl doing, any babies yet?

My vet gives all of mine a dose of AB's (Betamox LA) and an anti-inflammatory (flunixin) as preventative. I know some people may disagree with the use of AB's in that way - but they do go back into a non-sterile environment with considerable holes in their heads...

Lets hope your little girl comes through and thrives.

[tattycat]

Try giving the girls some raspberry leaf. It's a great uterine tonic.
Also thought older billy's give more female's.  Defo the case here.  Billy used past 2 years has given me 3 girls, 1 boy.....