# LaMancha's and horns?



## mistyblue (Nov 13, 2008)

Ok have a question, why can I not find any pictures of LM with their horns. Is there some reason why they dehorn even the bucks? Is this just for show animals?

I have been searching for a few lamancha does to add to my herd, and ran across 2 problems. First I cannot seem to find lamancha's in my area, and when I do they are very overpriced and secondly they have no horns. Now I do not mind buying a doe without horns if she is gentle, but I could not believe that they even take the bucks horns. 

Can anyone explain this, I am really wanting to know.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

dairy goats cant be shown with horns so that would include Lamanchas.

Dairy goats horns grow straight up and can be very dangerous.


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## mistyblue (Nov 13, 2008)

Yes the horns on the does do go straight up, but not our bucks, they curl around his head. I will get a updated picture today or tomorrow for you. His horns are really gorgeous.

Stacey, thank you. Now the next question I guess I should ask is, is this only for the dairy breeds then. I have a friend that shows Boers in the breeder shows and they do not have to dehorn their animals. But I do know like for the FFA shows that they have to be dehorned.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

yes for dairy breeds they can not have horns to be shown


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## mistyblue (Nov 13, 2008)

Once again Stacey - thanks. I am planning to go to straight LM in the future and this is one of the things that I guess I should know and this would also explain why I can find no pictures of them with thier horns.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

some people do like the horns but it is impractical if you ever plan to show and it limits your abilities to sell them later on


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## Ariel301 (Oct 13, 2009)

I've got LaManchas. I have had a hard time finding photos of them with horns as well, most dairy people who don't show still disbud their kids. There is a photo somewhere on this site of someone's LaMancha doe with horns; forget where and whose it is though. 

I choose not to disbud my kids; I prefer the horns on them. I've got a buck, wether, and a doeling with horns, and none of them are aggressive. I can even trust them around my young nieces and nephews; it just takes training from an early age and not encouraging them to butt people even when they're little and it's cute. Living in an area with a ton of predators that will come right up to the house and grab peoples' pets off the back porch, I feel safer knowing my goats have weapons. Unfortunately they can't be shown with the horns, and it may be harder to sell kids with horns.I would love to see that change; maybe they could offer a separate show class for horned goats, or just make it the owner's choice to have them or not. (I'm also not a fan of docking tails on horses or dogs) I am going to have to break down and disbud a couple next year because I want to save some doelings for showing. 

Meat goats traditionally have horns left on them, as do packgoats. However, our local fair does not allow ANY goats to be shown with horns. They also do not allow bucks. 

Not sure what you mean by 'very overpriced'...good high quality does can go from $200-$1000 each; it's pretty much that way across the country. If you just want that breed and don't care about show conformation, you might find some for a lower price that will be good milkers but just not show-ring quality. Sometimes you find a bargain on them though, especially if you bought them young.


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## AlaskaBoers (May 7, 2008)

http://www.flickr.com/photos/starmeadows/sets/72057594066937145/

has pictures on flickr, they have lamanchas with horns.


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## CrossCreekTX (Aug 10, 2009)

What part of Texas are you in? I have a friend with some reasonably priced LaManchas for sale.


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## jdgray716 (Aug 8, 2008)

Well, I will say I agree. I love horns. I think polled are great too, but I love a good horn set. Then again I am a meat breed feller. I am glad it has not been accross the board for meat breeds. I would never be able to show for sure and people would have a lot of work on there hands. I won't disbud I like them too much. I guess I would have to buy polled stock to help with the problem. LOL


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## mistyblue (Nov 13, 2008)

I love the horns on my goats, they are so useful. But if we decide to get into show goats then I guess we should dehorn them. Also I guess I should clarify and say that I have mini-mancha's. But I am also looking for full size LaMancha does.

CrossCreak, I am located south of Houston. right now we are looking to just add to our milk herd, at this point I am not interested in show animals. Let me know if she still has some does for sale, if they are reasonable close to me. Thank You!

Just a few old photo's - I will get updated photo's in the next few days, it rained here like crazy yesterday so no pictures.

Camel - taken early this year - his horns now curl around toward his ears

















Flower - also taken early this year - her horns are still straight up


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

Though I can't get over the "no ear" thing with the munchies, I have to say that I do like the looks of them better with horns! Tour munchies are really nice misty!


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## Ariel301 (Oct 13, 2009)

Your doe Flower looks so much like my Alpine buck in the face! She's cute. 

It's nice to see that there's a few other horn fans out there. =)


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## mistyblue (Nov 13, 2008)

I think the horns kinda distract from the fact that they have no ears. :shades: It has taken several people a few minutes to realize they have no ears. 

Ariel, Flower is my favorite doe and my best milker. To be a small doe she was given close to 1/2 a gallon a day and she was a FF.


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## archsteve (Nov 12, 2010)

Lamancha's have very beautiful horns. I honestly don't know how they would be dangerous, its not like they are trying to swipe at us. Even when catching one that needs to get vaccines, there didn't seem to be any risk. Maybe with a small child it could be dangerous. I think the fear is over hyped.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I love the horns on goats... it is a radiator in the summer and a cooler in the winter.... you have something to grab them with too...LOL.... :wink: each person has his/her own preference...... on this subject and I respect both.... but I myself prefer... the horns to stay... they are beautiful....God made them with horns and they really should remain that way.....but this is my opinion... :greengrin: .....


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## myfainters (Oct 30, 2009)

Try placing front hooves in a show ring with a goat that has horns that point due North and you'll soon find out EXACTLY why most dairy goat breeders dehorn. I am not a fan of horns at ALL.... I've seen too many goats injure one another needlessly and a simple disbudding as a kid would've saved injury from ever happening. They are pretty to look at....but domesticated goats don't have the space that most wild goats had...its just not practical to expect them not to injure one another. 

I also find it strange that people always think goats are disbudded because of aggression towards people :scratch: very rarely is that the case. Most of the time it is to save them from themselves.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> I've seen too many goats injure one another needlessly and a simple disbudding as a kid would've saved injury from ever happening.


 I have had boer goats... for many years with horns....... and not one ....was injured from them...... not even my bucks....... so I can't see ...that it is an issue with everyone.... If people like them.... they should keep them..... unless... it is their preference to remove them.... and I respect that..... I didn't mention... the show ring and horns....if they have to be dehorned ....to be able to show them and want to do so....more power to them... Our hotline.... keeps them away from the fence.... so no issues there :wink: :greengrin:


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## Epona142 (May 26, 2008)

I do think there is less risk of a boer/meat breed, whose horns grow back, of injuring someone/something.

Dairy goats of course grow straight up generally. I'm not adverse to horns, but after untangling does from fences, it made me start thinking.

And then when I got between my favorite doe, Hope, and a lesser goat on accident...well. I now have a nearly four inch scar on my upper thigh. It was extremely painful! Did she mean to do it? Heck no. She's a very careful goat.

But I sell for pets. Soo easy for a kid to get his eye poked out on accident. 

I left Hope's horns, because she has proven her worth with them. Indy's were recently removed by banding and I banded Fancy's horns, but I think they need to be redone. I also disbud now


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

Well, I am going to go against the grain here and say that I prefer goats without horns. It is purely a cosmetic thing for me but I have always had goats without horns. I think that horns would be a big problem for my fencing.


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## mistyblue (Nov 13, 2008)

LOL man have I came a long way since I first started this thread last year. I still believe that they should keep their horns. But we now disbud all kids as that is what most customers want. As for over priced, I was so far off track on that one, those prices that I was complaining about is now what we pay for a good doe as well as sell ours for.

We still try to buy does that have horns, as we have had only one problem in the last 3yrs and I think they are just beautiful with them.


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## Dorioakes (Nov 13, 2013)

I only have purebred Lamancha and All goats leave here registered. I register online and you get a certified copy of the registration and then they mail the original. I have a Horned Lamancha Buckling for sale. Normally I want to have them prepaid before I leave the horns on them. I also have two does left to kid. If you want horns left on you must prepay for them. Kids are hard to sell with horns on so unless they are completely prepaid I can not leave the horns on. I do not want to be stuck with a goat that I cant sell.

I also have a Buck with Scurs for Sale if anyone is interested.


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## LamanchaAcres (Jan 11, 2013)

Old thread 


Sent from my iPhone using Goat Forum


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## lottsagoats (Dec 10, 2012)

I raise Lamancha's. I do not show. I disbud all my kids and do not believe in having horns on a goat, too many ways for injuries and death to happen. Even if a buyer wants a horned kid, I will not sell one that has not been disbudded. That's how strongly I believe in disbudding. 

I have a large scar on my right thigh from a horn, total accident but damaged just the same. I have had horned goats in the past and each one mets it's death because of those horns (strangled because the horns got stuck in the hay feeder and broken neck because the horns got caught in the crook of a tree). Horned goats are also harder to sell (dairy goats I am referring to, though some people don't want horns on meat goats either.) and some insurance companies will not insure a farm with horned goats.


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