# 4 year old buck castration?



## mariella (Feb 23, 2017)

So one of my bucks has become to rough with my does. And we are keeping some of his daughters. He also produces BIG babies and not all my girls can handle his kids. I wanted to eat him but my mother wants to keep him. He is a BIG baby my mother sits on him and ride him like a motorcycle(He has huge horns). And another problem is he's not careful with his horns. This last rut one of my does was trying to get away from him and hid behind me. He ran past me after the doe and clipped me with his horn and was still chasing the doe. And was biting her tail(There were tooth marks). So to say the least I am tired of him and he needs to go! 
There has also been other incidences. Like the other day I put 2 doelings and a wether in a pen together. He broke the pen ramed the baby wether and squished both doelings trying to breed them(Key word TRYING it didn't work because he's to BIG). So I put him in a pen of his own but he got out and tried again. So I tide him up and he got tangled up almost lost his foot and had swelling on his neck!!!
He is driving me nut!
So my questions are, Will he become calmer if I have him castrated? What are the risks of having him castrated? And why on god little green Earth is he biting my does!?!?
Thanks for any help 
Also I know there are other post like this one but I can find them


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## ArborGoats (Jan 24, 2013)

If he was mine, I would have a long talk with my (your) mom and really flesh out the pros to keeping him. Some bucks when castrated don't lose the learned behavior or being that dominant. Some lose the testosterone and are ok, but in my cases a buck castrated late, is just a buck who can't breed. 
But I personally wouldn't tolerate a buck who is a danger to me (horns hitting me by accident) and if he is too big for my does both in breeding and by throwing large kids I have to assist with, it is just not worth it. 
Castrating older bucks can have complications. Surgically castrating him would require anesthesia and that is always dicey in goats. Banding at that stage would require a calf bander and could be stressful, but I have heard of people on here doing both methods. The biggest complication I would expect is death (either from bleeding/stress/anesthesia/ect) but that isn't a probability, just a possibility. 
If selling him isn't an option and you *have* to keep him, I would try castration with the knowledge that it might not alter his behavior too much. My wethers still mount my does, but they certainly don't bite them... Maybe have your mom do chores for a couple days and see what its like to take care of him?


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

A lot of that is going to be learned behavior that won't change. He may calm down a bit but probably not enough.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I agree with the others. He won't change much and his horns are still there.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

That long talk with mom is a great idea.

Here is an idea, a possible compromise. Many people don't like buck meat. If you don't then wethering him will take away some of that flavor. While you are waiting for that lessening of flavor, you can watch and reassess.

It's possible that with the lessening of testosterone he'll calm down enough for you to retrain that really disrespectful behaviour.

Personally, I doubt it. Here he would be meat for me, and carcass for my dogs.

I have a lot of large dogs...

Good luck with that talk. I have the feeling that is necessary no matter what is decided.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

Oh, and I suggest considering a burdizzo over surgery.


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## Sunshine Bright (Dec 12, 2017)

Hav a vet cut his horns off. I had a doe w/horns who was aggressive w/other does. When her horn were removed her attitude changed.

The biting, wow, he's just a nasty tempered buck. Definately turn him n2 meat or sell.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

We never heard back from @mariella

I wonder what she decided to do. I hope she did not end up getting hurt.


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## TexasGoatMan (Jul 4, 2015)

I know that it is late to post anything that will help with this situation. The decision has probably already been made. But for my 2 cents worth, I don't have time to tolerate a buck that is overly aggressive with the other goats especially bred does and small kids or yearlings. There are way too many good bucks available to subject myself, other people and my goats to that kind of behavior. So he would have to go !!


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

Yes, I think that was the consensus here. The sticking point was someone else in the family who did not understand the reality of the danger because it wasn't affecting her. I think we all agreed with you, that he wasn't a great buck.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Yep.


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## mariella (Feb 23, 2017)

Well what ended up happening was he made a small bruise on my side and my mother had him put in the freezer


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## mariella (Feb 23, 2017)

Thank you all for your help though


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

I'm so sorry you were hurt. Your mom made the right decision. Glad it wasn't worse for you.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I too agree.


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