Author Topic: Disbudding goats (Read 1709 times)

gerpsych · « **on:** April 06, 2018, 04:22:54 pm »

Hi All

I have booked a vet visit for Monday to have my two girls (saanen/alpine crosses) disbudded. I am rather apprehensive about this as their dad (a saanen/alpine cross) was horned and I did not find this particularly troublesome (and he was not a particularly friendly critter). Indeed, I felt that they were sometimes helpful as handlebars. Does anyone else haev experience of keeping horned goats ? Is it dreadful ? Should I really do this ?

Cheers

Alan

macgro7 · « **Reply #1 on:** April 06, 2018, 08:15:35 pm »

My goats are horned. They are very aware of that and use their horns to scratch their backs lol
Even when they stick their heads in the wire fence they know how to get out.
I don't see the point of having the stress for you and them and paying quite a lot of money for the vet for disbudding.
Someone said if you want to sell them people are much less likely to buy them if they are horned. You are also not allowed to show them as far as I know, unless they are Old English Goats?

Big Mat · « **Reply #2 on:** April 06, 2018, 08:47:21 pm »

All of ours are horned, always have been. I will never had a goat without horns if I can help it!

They're very handy for holding onto if needs be, they use them for scratching, I can't see the point of removing them.

Penninehillbilly · « **Reply #3 on:** April 06, 2018, 10:32:22 pm »

I have 2 horned boers, I hate horns, bruises on my legs if they push past,
I don't have billy kids disbudded, and can't wait to see the back of them as they get older, they bounce about and come from nowhere as you reach down for a bucket, have had a few close shaves with them catching my face, they don't mean to be nasty, just playful.

Anke · « **Reply #4 on:** April 07, 2018, 07:38:19 am »

Just for the record - goats do NOT need to be disbudded to be shown at BGS recognised shows.

pharnorth · « **Reply #5 on:** April 07, 2018, 09:55:07 am »

My angora goats are all horned. Never have any problem with the ones with curved horns, some have them more handle bar style and inevitably you get the odd accidental poke in the leg.

I was at the Vet the other day and a chap was just leaving with a debudded saanan kid, it looked happy enough. Personally I am happy with the horns.