# A question about neutering an adult buck



## mtmom75 (May 19, 2011)

This might be a silly question, but I have a yearling buck that I'm thinking of having neutered (or surgically castrated or whatever the vet does with a buck this age). Anyway, my question is if they're neutered as an adult, will they always still have the stink and the bucky behavior? Or once the hormones aren't produced anymore, will he be like any other wether?


----------



## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

It depends on the buck. Can't really give any guarantees.


----------



## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

Usually once the hormones are out of their system the hormone driven behaviours decrease a lot. Sometimes they go entirely away. Some have become a habit and might not entirely go away, but really in a goat only a year old I think your chances of him ending up a typical wether and not being nasty are pretty good.


----------



## goatfarmer4891 (May 9, 2013)

After he gets surgically castrated the hormones will leave his body and the normal "rut" behavior should also leave, especially since he is still fairly young, but it is never guaranteed. If he does still have the odor afterwards it shouldn't be as strong. If you aren't going to be using him for breeding I would suggest making a wether out of him because bucks don't make great pets because of their stink and sometimes aggressive behavior.


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

I wethered a 2 year old pygmy/Nigerian buck,,, he was just a very aggressive buck, mean to all other boys with him but very sweet natured with me and when not in rut.

This was done in February 2010 so flies would not be an issue and when he shed out his winter coat, all the buck characteristics went too...heavy mane, beard etc. Teddy is now almost 6 years old and will still mount the does he has as pen mates and he will still urinate on his legs and face but he doesn't have the odor of a buck and is still a very sweet boy with me though he still does not like to share me or his food with his 2 girls


----------



## mjs500doo (Nov 24, 2012)

mtmom75 said:


> This might be a silly question, but I have a yearling buck that I'm thinking of having neutered (or surgically castrated or whatever the vet does with a buck this age). Anyway, my question is if they're neutered as an adult, will they always still have the stink and the bucky behavior? Or once the hormones aren't produced anymore, will he be like any other wether?


Now would be a great time to do so, as the flies are starting to die off. A yearling isn't going to be too difficult. Your vet may just knife him with some local anesthetic. You may also look into an elasticator, or borrow one from a farmer.


----------



## enchantedgoats (Jun 2, 2013)

he is probably small enough that an elastrator will work, if not wait until after fly season. please get a knowledgable vet do the castrating with a local if possible as putting a goat under anesthesia is not a good idea unless absolutely necessary.


----------



## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

My 2 year old was "elastrated" or banded  and he acted like any baby buck who was banded...his aftercare was the same too...daily checks to ensure the band was doing it's job as well as blu kote once a day when separation started to occur.


----------



## neubunny (Nov 7, 2012)

We have a Togg wether that had been castrated at 4 years old. Ally bought him for a cart/driving goat - he's a big boy. No buck behaviour (or smell), although the Alpine girls think he should -- when in season last fall they ignored poor Slade (the actual buck) and followed Frankie round and round trying to get him interested.


----------

