# Collar Danger



## Stacykins (Mar 27, 2012)

Until yesterday, I had collars on my goats. Each collar has a name tag and my contact information. I figured in the event of say, a goatie escape, they could make their way home. But I did not consider a almost horrifying danger. 

I had just turned out the goats in their pasture. They usually get the zoomies and play when first put out in the morning. So it wasn't unusual when they were jumping, playing, and headbutting eachother gently. But play turned dark quickly. Artie, my boer wether, butted my Nigerian doeling Suzie. His horns got hooked in her collar. Of course, as soon as he noticed his horns caught on something, he began freaking out, strangling her. I grabbed both of them and freed her. I am so glad that the collar has a quick release, because there was not a hairsbreadth of wiggle room, it was pulled tight around her throat. 

Suzie went limp on the ground as soon as the collar released. But she was thankfully breathing, and after a few seconds got her wind back. I was so afraid. If that had happened while I wasn't standing right there, she'd likely have died. 

If it weren't so painful a process to band horns, I'd remove Artie's horns. He is the only goat with horns, the others are all disbudded Nigerians. The collars are gone now, hooked to the leads so they are only in use when a goat is being led.


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## liz (Oct 5, 2007)

With horned goats, collars are a No-No..... I keep a herd of mixed, some have horns and some don't....I learned a long time ago that even in play, accidents like that will happen. I'm glad you were present and able to free your doe.

Stacey...if you feel the need for collars because of the ID, put duct tape across the top of Arties horns to prevent anything from getting between them.


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## Tayet (Feb 9, 2012)

All my goats wear collars constantly and I have seen that happen, but before I can get there, the goats with the horns stuck has already gotten unstuck. I might just have the collars looser on my goats. But I don't worry about it to much.


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## HoosierShadow (Apr 20, 2010)

I'm so sorry this happened to you  I won't ever leave a collar on a goat. Horns or not. They are animals that always seem to get themselves into trouble as it is, they don't need the added help from a collar.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

So lucky you were there! I lost a girl who git her collar hung up on a small tree branch  i have never left collars on since


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Glad things are Ok.... I recommend ...never leaving a collar on a goat unattended.... horned or not..... I use a tagging system for ID.... but... that is up to the breeder :hug:


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

I have plastic breakaway chain collars. They do sometimes come off from the goats rubbing on the fence, but it's worth it IMO. It's so much easier to lead a goat with a collar! And I don't worry about them strangling themselves.


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## firelight27 (Apr 25, 2009)

I think it is fine to leave collars on goats if they are breakaway collars...same thing for horses. Halters yes, but only if they have breakaway straps. Otherwise you might end up with strangled animals. I have the cat ones on mine with the breakaway section. I keep extras because sometimes they seem to break awfully easy...but its worth it for the safety and like milkmaid said, worth it to be able to catch/lead goats out at pasture.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

Strangely, the breakaway clips on mine don't break - they bend, and the collar is easy to pop right back on...when I can find it, lol!


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## J.O.Y. Farm (Jan 10, 2012)

I leave collars on mine.... but they are so loose I have to tighten them to lead them or they slip right out! I have been thinking of getting the plastic chain ones... but for now they are just really loose


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## packhillboers (Feb 2, 2011)

ok.. himm good to know of this.


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## firelight27 (Apr 25, 2009)

Oh yes, I have some of the plastic chain ones too. They are awesome! You can buy the plastic chain in lengths at feed or hardware stores. Its on a big roll. Then you buy the clips for a few cents a piece. I just bought a big length and used big wire cutters to cut it down to lengths I want. It much more economical than any type of actual collar really.


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## ptgoats45 (Nov 28, 2011)

Mine have collars on all the time too, but they are the snap on dog collars. They can only withstand so much pressure before they come un-snapped. Not good when you are trying to lead a stubborn goat, but handy if they do ever get caught. They do make snap-on dog collars with metal snaps and those are labeled good for staking out a dog, but I get the plastic ones so they will come apart if need be.

When I had Boers though, they never wore collars unless I was going to be catching them again right away or at a show.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

My collars are loose as well and had a horn in one and she got it out in just a few sec. I do worrie when I bring home a new goat since when they fight they are after blood not just play fighting like the others do. I like to collars because I can just grab them and if they see a rope they are gone. But because the price of collars are so much and in the back of my mind I do worrie about them getting stuck to a tree I started to cut leather into a collar and just put a big ear tag threw it to keep it together. The ear tags are not that strong, and Im sure in the long run I will go threw a lot of ear tags and leather, but with a collar being $7 and a big piece of leather being $50 I can do about 100 collars or more. I also like the ear tag for id wise, that way if I have someone watching them or if someone notices something funny about one they can give me a # since the swear they all look the same. You can also put your info on the back of the tag as well, either in the ear or collar, or you can buy blank tags and write it on. Thats what my brother does with his tags.


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## Red Mare (Aug 17, 2011)

None of mine have horns, but I do keep collars on mine. I also use the plastic collars with the break away link. 
I do find them every now and again in the pasture, but that's nothing compared to trying to catch a few without them! (Or horror, finding one caught in a fence and expired.)


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## luvmyherd (Apr 9, 2011)

My goats wear dog collars with break-away clips. And, yes, they do fall off. I found some for $2 at Walmart recently and picked up a bunch. I just have to have something to grab.
Warning to those who keep them loose!!!!! In the 80's I had the plastic chain on a doe. I did not think it was too loose but went out one morning to find that while sleeping, she got her nose stuck in the chain. From what we could tell; when she woke up she panicked and smothered herself. Her nose was crushed. That was my first goat death and I found her by myself. Horrible experience.
Anyway, since then, I make sure the collars are snug but not tight.


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## Bambi (Jun 10, 2012)

You were very lucky you didn't lose your goat. We have horned as well as no horned goats and we have had this same thing happen many times. When we started in goats we bought the special break-away chains, but they didn't break and we almost lost two does. We use break away halters now with leather straps that will break if there is much pressure on the halter. It is much better to have them safe.


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