# agressive buckling



## imported_ashley (Jun 9, 2011)

I have two bucklings that are 5 weeks old. One is much larger than then other (different breeds and from different breeders), they get along great and play until they are panting like dogs, but after their bottle the larger one (who is a togg) mounts the smaller one (who is a lamancha) and tries to breed him. He also tries to bite the little one's testicles. They are still buddies but this post-feeding sexual aggression is worrying me. I don't want to castrate them for a while longer but will banding the bigger one now help? Is this a common problem with boys? This is my first endeavor with bottle babies... help!


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## Jake Levi (Jun 9, 2011)

The little guy is showing dominance, which is YOUR prerogative, squirt him, say no, but, it will continue, hopefully ameliorate, I dont like the idea of castration before 4-6 mos if possible, you get more size, nicer horns to wait. If you have two goats in a pen one is going to be the dominant one, always.


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Hello,

it may be dominance, but it could also be stress relieve.

But, as Jake already pointed out, one will be the dominant one for the rest of their life. You can direct their behaviour towards each other when you are around but in the remaining time they will act like goats.


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## Cazz (Jun 9, 2010)

Hi Ashley,
Your buck kid's behaviour will be stopped/greatly reduced by wethering, the earlier/younger you have him castrated, the quicker and more abruptly he will stop. A buck kid wethered at a week old or so will almost never show that kind of behaviour, while one wethered at three months may continue until a year or two old. As soon as any of our kids show that behaviour, unless they are going to be kept as breeding bucks, we wether them. Recently, with castrating all our wethers-to-be very early now so that there is less pain and they behave better, we have had no problem with that behaviour. And as we disbud all our goats anyway and we find large horns often a nuisance, we don't have any qualms about castrating them very early. The latest we did a buck was three months, and that, an accident, (we were trying to sell him as a buck) was a mistake as he acted like a buck for a long time, and was in much more pain than the little kids who often don't really notice. 
We always smack our bucks/buck kids for that sort of behaviour though, and they know (especially the older ones and adult bucks) that it is strictly not allowed. Without training them to stop, they would normally boss each other around a lot unless they are twins. (or think they are) I have a doe who nips the other does' udders when they won't obey her, but she still gets a smack or squirt despite being the boss and having the 'right' to keep the others in check, and she is a lot better behaved than she used to be.
Cheers,
Cazz


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## sanhestar (Dec 10, 2008)

Cazz said:


> Hi Ashley,
> Your buck kid's behaviour will be stopped/greatly reduced by wethering, the earlier/younger you have him castrated, the quicker and more abruptly he will stop.


Hello,

can't confirm that. I have a wether that was castrated when he was about 1 week old and he is dominant as hell. Have others, that have been castrated with 6 months that are mellow and easy going with their herdmates.


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## Cazz (Jun 9, 2010)

That seems strange going by our goats sanhestar.
Maybe that's only with our goats, but I have definitely found that with our goats. Within days of wethering them, the one-two week old buck kids stopped jumping on each other almost entirely, especially the less boyish but bossy ones who bossed the others around but started headbutting instead of jumping on them. With a buck we did at three weeks, he was still buck-ish at a month, but by three months was quiet and not really buck-ish at all. 
This is what we have found, but in general I think it may be true as their hormones are greatly reduced and their behaviour follows suit.  
Cheers,
Cazz


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## imported_ashley (Jun 9, 2011)

thanks for all of the great info!!


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