# First time banding question



## aguy14 (Mar 21, 2014)

Hello, we just banded our first buckling and I wanted to make sure we did it correctly because he seems to be in a lot of pain. We gave him aspirin and tetanus and soaked the band and elaster in alcohol. We made sure both balls were in and not the nipples. We released the band as high as we could. 
Did we do anything wrong?? My husband googled and read to keep nipples in band? How long will he be in pain??


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Sounds like you did it right. No, no nipples in the band so you did that right too. They will throw a fit for a few hours maybe a day and then be fine. Drama queens...one and all!


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

They do tend to carry on for a day or so. I band in the morning, then make the kid walk a lot- for a couple of hours. It seems to help- they don't cry as much as the ones banded in the evening and left alone! But, they all do cry some until the area goes numb. Then they are fine. I think it is almost more traumatic for the human than it is for the kid!


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## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

If you put the band as high as it will go then perhaps it's too high. I know of a gal who did this and it turned out she got the band so high, that it was leaving a hole clear up on the abdomen? I hope that makes sense... anyways..big infection etc etc. You shouldn't need to put it as high as it will go... only enough to get the testicles in and a little higher than them... Can you get a picture?​


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## aguy14 (Mar 21, 2014)

I'll try to get a pic, it's pouring out now. I don't think it's that high. It looks like a good job to me.


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## aguy14 (Mar 21, 2014)

U
Upp


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## J-TRanch (Jan 31, 2014)

Okay! I'll be watching !


Owner/operator
J-T Ranch Dairy Goats
NW KS


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

By now, he should be over most of the discomfort. If the skin is really wrinkled, 
that might be causing some pain. (Like folded over itself). Hopefully, all is well!


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

How is he doing today?


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## AncientBlue (Dec 21, 2014)

The lady I bought my goats from said to give Arcina Montana when you do the banding and it really eases the pain. That is what I'm going to do when I band Billy. I haven't done it yet as he's not old enough.


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## aguy14 (Mar 21, 2014)

He's doing better today, eating and walking around. He walks a little funny, which I'm guessing is normal. I haven't got a pic yet though, it's been pouring all day.


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Good. Sounds normal!


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## aguy14 (Mar 21, 2014)

Here is a pic


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Looks like the ones I've helped my husband do!


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## aguy14 (Mar 21, 2014)

Good! I feel better. What will happen next? Drying up and falling off?


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## kccjer (Jan 27, 2012)

Yep. It can take a couple weeks for that to happen. My hubby just came in and said it looks good! 

Yay! you did your first one!! It only gets easier from here!


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## aguy14 (Mar 21, 2014)

Thanks for the support!


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## Goats Rock (Jun 20, 2011)

Yep, looks good. After it falls off, just spray the area with the purple stuff.
(antibiotic spray). Periodically, before it falls off, check it to make sure it isn't swollen or 
infected. (Shouldn't be, but good to check).. Good Job!


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## In_Clover (Feb 28, 2013)

I give mine a little bit of banamine before banding, maybe 15 minutes or so. This seems to take a little bit of the pain away. But it's not necessary to do so, and plenty of people don't. If you ever band during fly season, watch out for those around the banding. If you see flies around it, dab a little bit of SWAT horse ointment with fly repellent around (not on) the area.


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## AncientBlue (Dec 21, 2014)

Goats Rock said:


> Yep, looks good. After it falls off, just spray the area with the purple stuff.
> (antibiotic spray). Periodically, before it falls off, check it to make sure it isn't swollen or
> infected. (Shouldn't be, but good to check).. Good Job!


Is purple stuff like Alushield? If not, would you please post a link? Us newbies around here :book: I've gotta do Billy's banding not too long from now so I'm trying to get all the info I can before hand.


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## Tapestry (Feb 5, 2015)

Sorry to bring this back up, but what is the oldest that you would band rather than surgical castration?


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## aguy14 (Mar 21, 2014)

From what I researched, as long as they fit into the bander. The longer you wait the less chance for urinary calculi. I don't think you should wait until after he starts going trough rut. I banded my boy around 12 weeks and he is now fine. It was only tough the first day, then he got used to it and they just dried up and feel off after a couple of weeks.


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## AncientBlue (Dec 21, 2014)

Just a side note here. I kept reading that they'd fall off in "a couple of weeks". Billy's took a month to the day to fall off. I was starting to get worried, but all seems well.


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## canyontrailgoats (Jan 4, 2014)

It took a month and a week for my boys' sacks to fall off, I assumed it was normal..


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## Tapestry (Feb 5, 2015)

In December, I bought a 3 year old buck and the breeder I got him from said she would band him for me later, if I wanted her to, but that didn't sound like a good idea to me.


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## aguy14 (Mar 21, 2014)

I wouldn't do that! Poor boy. I would do castration if he's that old.


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## Barnes19 (Sep 8, 2013)

The younger the better. If you intend on banding, do it before they're a week old.

I know that sounds extreme ... this is why.

There was a study done on lambs. Using three methods of castration: surgical, burdizo, and bands.

The study covered lambs of various ages, and autopsied them a week later I think it was.

The lambs castrated by surgical and burdizo were fine.

Those castrated by banding had internal hemorrhaging.
Some of the older lambs had a litre ... 4 cups! of blood in the abdomen.

The younger they were, the less damage was done.

Other studies have shown growth checks on lambs castrated by banding ... again, the older they are the worse it is. This would seem to me to be consistant, probably cused by the bleeding. The loss of that much blood would be terribly draining.

Of course, burdizo is rather useless to a goat farmer, because it only sterilizes, the lidido ... and smell ... remain intact.
Of course if you're anything like me you're shy with a knife ... I've no problem killing and chopping up, but to deliberately cut a live animal that is intended to remain so ... even watching someone stitching a wound turns my stomach.

I have banded them up to 6 weeks in the past ... but not any more, after reading the studies above I won't have a bar of it. I suppose if I really had to ... but in most cases a little forethought and planning should avoid the need.

I no longer band my lambs or kids that are destined for the freezer at all, only those for sale as pets, and that at 2-3 days old. Never in the first day. I want them to get their feet properly.


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## rockinchickfarm (Dec 24, 2014)

*banding ages*

everyone says a different age on banding, I've read to do it later so they don't get UC but some do it the first week. Any ideas?


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## Tapestry (Feb 5, 2015)

I always thought banding later was cruel, so I had mine surgically castrated, anesthesia, IV, the whole nine yards, but man does that cost.


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