I have 4 pygmy goats due to drop anytime between the 15th of Feb. and fist week of March. I am looking for someone in the area who knows how to dehorn and castrate. I've read about it online and having never done it I'm not willing to try myself. Any help would be appreciated!!
In need of someone to dehorn goats
- Thread starter jedi2814
- Start date
SouthernMdRocks
R.I.P. Bobo, We miss you!
You can take them to Dr. Stott.
Cowgirl
Well-Known Member
I could do it, but I'm not in the area. Oh, you definitely want to disbud, and not dehorn. Disbudding involves burning the horn bud area to prevent horns from growing. Dehorning is cutting out the horns when they're already there. Dehorning is awful, and it should be avoided at all costs.
Castrating is easy-peasy. I can explain it to you online, or you can probably find instructions online. You can do it several ways. You could do the banding method, which is probably the easiest for you. You can buy the tool at Southern States or any farm supply store. Another method is cutting. It's a little bloody, but they recover extremely quick. I tend to like the cutting method, because the babies are up and at it very quickly. With banding, they tend to get a little wonky for about a half hour until they go numb. Also, there is more of a chance of infection with the bands. It's an open wound until the testicles fall off. You can always use the emasculator, which crushes the blood vessels. I've not done this, but it's bloodless and lots of people like it. The tool is a little more pricey than the bander.
Crap, I just saw where you said you're not willing to try yourself. It's so easy and much cheaper than taking them to a vet if you do them yourself,and it's really not hard at all! Maybe you could PM Spinner (she is on the forums). She knows her stuff and might be willing to do it for you.
Have the does had their vaccines? They should have at least had their CD&T by now. That will protect the babies until they're weaned. You'll still need to give the kids a tetanus antitoxin when they're disbudded and castrated though.
cattitude
My Sweetest Boy
Cowgirl
Well-Known Member
:surprisebabies:I could do it, but I'm not in the area. Oh, you definitely want to disbud, and not dehorn. Disbudding involves burning the horn bud area to prevent horns from growing. Dehorning is cutting out the horns when they're already there. Dehorning is awful, and it should be avoided at all costs.
Castrating is easy-peasy. I can explain it to you online, or you can probably find instructions online. You can do it several ways. You could do the banding method, which is probably the easiest for you. You can buy the tool at Southern States or any farm supply store. Another method is cutting. It's a little bloody, but they recover extremely quick. I tend to like the cutting method, because the babies are up and at it very quickly. With banding, they tend to get a little wonky for about a half hour until they go numb. Also, there is more of a chance of infection with the bands. It's an open wound until the testicles fall off. You can always use the emasculator, which crushes the blood vessels. I've not done this, but it's bloodless and lots of people like it. The tool is a little more pricey than the bander.
Crap, I just saw where you said you're not willing to try yourself. It's so easy and much cheaper than taking them to a vet if you do them yourself,and it's really not hard at all! Maybe you could PM Spinner (she is on the forums). She knows her stuff and might be willing to do it for you.
Have the does had their vaccines? They should have at least had their CD&T by now. That will protect the babies until they're weaned. You'll still need to give the kids a tetanus antitoxin when they're disbudded and castrated though.
Castration I could probably handle - it was the disbudding I was thinking I should probably not tackle on my own the first time. And from what I can see is the debudding needs to be done ASAP after birth.
Oh - and check on the vaccines for the does.
Cowgirl
Well-Known Member
You don't want to disbud too early though. Give the kids at least a week to get strong and healthy before you do it. I'd PM Spinner. If she can't do it, she could probably give you the name of someone who could. Good luck! And post pictures! Goat kids are the cutest!!
JULZ
BFJ
Thanks!! I'll do that.