# How should my year old goat be castrated?



## Harley-goats-mom (Dec 9, 2016)

I'm new to goats and need some guidance from experienced owners. I have two males, one was banded young and the other is still intact. I realize now that I should have had him castrated as soon as I got him but the deaths of my parents kind of put that on the back burner. Now my intact male is just straight up ornery and stinky. But my biggest concern is my smaller boy as the intact male wants to breed with him. What is the best and safest way to castrate him? I spoke to one vet, not a livestock vet, and he wanted to do a full neuter, just like he would do for a large dog,to the tune of $300!! If I can't find another option, that is the route I will have to take. I know of a few livestock vets but neither have returned my calls. Please please please, I need some guidance, advice, words of wisdom....I just need help.

Thank you in advance!


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

I've had goats neutered like a dog but it didn't cost nearly $300! I paid more like $90-$100. But the better option is if one of the livestock vets has a Callicrate ratchet bander. These work on any age buck. He will be sore for a few days but it shouldn't be as painful as having him surgically castrated. Place a few calls back to the livestock vets and specifically ask about the Callicrate bander. They may simply not have time at the moment to fit in a surgery for a new client. Banding, on the other hand, is like a two minute job, and they can tell you right away whether they have the right tool. 

In the meantime, is there a way for you to separate your goats so your little wether doesn't get hurt or traumatized? It will be best if they can still see each other.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

I've banded adult bucks with no problem, but I wouldn't do it in rutt. I would wait until early spring when he's out of rutt, calmed down, and testicles are a little smaller. Not sure I'd recommend it if these are pets as there's more risk with banding adult bucks, but honestly, it has it's risks with whichever way you go. Goats don't do well with anesthesia so that alone can be risky going the surgical route.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

KW Farms said:


> I've banded adult bucks with no problem, but I wouldn't do it in rutt. I would wait until early spring when he's out of rutt, calmed down, and testicles are a little smaller. Not sure I'd recommend it if these are pets as there's more risk with banding adult bucks, but honestly, it has it's risks with whichever way you go. Goats don't do well with anesthesia so that alone can be risky going the surgical route.


I agree


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## JK_Farms (Nov 12, 2016)

Banding older bucks are risky personally I would do it surgically but find a cheaper vet!


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

I wouldn't do it surgically, mainly as kw said goats don't do well with anesthesia. I lost my favorite doe because of this, I even warned the vet about goats and anesthesia and she still died.
Now I have NOT done any goats over 4 months old but I have some Bulls both ways and hands down they take the banding so much better. They usually complain and lay down the first day then they are up and going. Surgically they don't feel good for days, there's also the chance of them loosing too much blood. I used to hate the idea of banding, it just seemed gross for body parts to rot off but then I got goats and couldn't even imagine not banding them with how vocal they are. After watching them we changed to banding bulls as well.


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## happybleats (Sep 12, 2010)

Some vets do a banding method with a large band on a "come along" like device..there is a name for it...cant remember lol..but seems to be easier on the bucks..


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

happybleats said:


> Some vets do a banding method with a large band on a "come along" like device..there is a name for it...cant remember lol..but seems to be easier on the bucks..


Callicrate bander. That's what we have and that thing is wonderful!!! I even had to use it on a little alpine. I was a little late on catching him and by 2 1/2 months old my bander couldn't even get one testicle in there.


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## Harley-goats-mom (Dec 9, 2016)

Thank you all so very very much!! It seems everyone is split 50/50 on the callicrate and surgically. My goat is extremely well endowed. I mean he could make a bull blush. Does this change anyone's opinion of how I have the castration done? Please understand, I am not questioning anyone's opinion, I just left this vital piece of information out of my original post.
My husband thinks we should just sell him and get a young girl or a young boy that's already castrated but G is my boy and I don't like the idea of leaving his fate up to a stranger. But Harley is baby. When I brought him home he stayed in the house with me for a month. I would put diapers on him and he and I would sleep on the couch together and he and I bonded. He is truly the sweetest, most easy going, gentle little fella. Our main motivation in getting G was for Harley to have a friend and not be alone outside. As you can tell, the boys are pets and I really really want to do the right thing, for both of them.
I would appreciate any more advice from everyone, given this new information. I'm truly sorry to keep bugging y'all, I just need to make sure you have all the information.
Thank you...again!!


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

It doesn't matter how big the testicles are. The Callicrate bander will still work just fine. It's even used on adult bulls.


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## rochelle (Jul 10, 2016)

I just had my 2 - 11/2 year old males banded...didn't think it was possible cuz everyone was telling me that it would probably have to be done surgically. I didn't want surgery cuz goats don't take well to anticetic. For both goats with shots cost us $67 if you want me to take a pix for you I certainly can so you know what my vet did...it's not like the banding we did on our bull calves...


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## Harley-goats-mom (Dec 9, 2016)

Ok, thank you! Thank you! Thank You!


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## sassykat6181 (Nov 28, 2012)

I'd like to see pics to understand better


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## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

Following!

Pictures?onder:


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

I have had both done. Banded a older boy. He laid down and moped for 2 days. We had to stand him up a few times for him to pee.. but then he was fine. Recently I had a 11 month old boy surgically done and he actually coped better than the banding! He had to be done surgically (retained) so was quite a big surgery too and he never had an off day! He was only $150 to be done so $300 for a normal one is way to much i believe.


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## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

*Goats anesthesia*



rochelle said:


> I just had my 2 - 11/2 year old males banded...didn't think it was possible cuz everyone was telling me that it would probably have to be done surgically. I didn't want surgery cuz goats don't take well to anticetic. For both goats with shots cost us $67 if you want me to take a pix for you I certainly can so you know what my vet did...it's not like the banding we did on our bull calves...


What do you mean about anesthesia use in goats?

Is it they don't tolerate it well? What kind can be used? What cannot?

This site discusses some options. Is it the anesthetic used that causes the problem? What is safer for a 3-4 month old goat?


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## rochelle (Jul 10, 2016)

I will get pix to you as soon as I can! I work today and tomorrow, I was warned/told that goats aren't like dogs/cats when it comes to anesthesia...I'm guess they could die? Not wake up? Get real sick? I just took it as NO OPTION! I wouldn't risk is all! Since banding is an option no matter the age, why not just band instead of making them go through surgery? Less pain and cheaper too!


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## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

Just wish we knew! We are split in this and ...! Ugh!


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## Bree_6293 (Aug 4, 2014)

rochelle said:


> I will get pix to you as soon as I can! I work today and tomorrow, I was warned/told that goats aren't like dogs/cats when it comes to anesthesia...I'm guess they could die? Not wake up? Get real sick? I just took it as NO OPTION! I wouldn't risk is all! Since banding is an option no matter the age, why not just band instead of making them go through surgery? Less pain and cheaper too!


Surgery is needed for retained. My boy went under and he was slower to be fully aware. He woke up quite normally but was a bit woozy and unstable for a bit longer than a dog or cat would be. He stayed under vet watch for the night after surgery and we picked him up early the next day and he was our typical full on George and just wanted to eat! His recovery after that was amazingly quick and easy! 
I think it is best to wait with surgery until they are older. He was almost a year old before we took him for surgery.


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## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

He is beautiful!


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## Damfino (Dec 29, 2013)

From my understanding of what vets have told me, I think goats (and ruminants in general) are at higher risk of dying under anesthetic because they may reflexively bring up cud and choke to death. Goats also seem to have a higher risk of just never waking up I believe. However, with improvements in medicine and better understanding of goats in general, many of these risks are lower now than they were years ago. I've had five goats go under anesthetic and all of them did just fine. Recovery was slow for a couple of them, and the surgery itself was no picnic. It was several days before any of them would do more than hobble around feeling sorry for themselves.


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Damfino said:


> From my understanding of what vets have told me, I think goats (and ruminants in general) are at higher risk of dying under anesthetic because they may reflexively bring up cud and choke to death. Goats also seem to have a higher risk of just never waking up I believe. However, with improvements in medicine and better understanding of goats in general, many of these risks are lower now than they were years ago. I've had five goats go under anesthetic and all of them did just fine. Recovery was slow for a couple of them, and the surgery itself was no picnic. It was several days before any of them would do more than hobble around feeling sorry for themselves.


I think it depends on the vet too. The one I took a doe too blew me off when I explained goats and being out under and he put her to sleep, cut into her cyst and she died, that fast. The next vet I had to go to the doe needed a c section, I told him no way no how was he putting her under.....I freaked and finally told him start with a TINY amount. He saw me flipping out and instead of knocking her out he numbed the crap out of her.......wondering now if this could be done for a buck. But I will go out of my way for any of my goats to never go threw that again :/


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## Harley-goats-mom (Dec 9, 2016)

Your baby is beautiful!


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## Harley-goats-mom (Dec 9, 2016)

Damfino said:


> It doesn't matter how big the testicles are. The Callicrate bander will still work just fine. It's even used on adult bulls.


Thank you for the info!!


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## rochelle (Jul 10, 2016)

So sorry I didn't get that pix to you, I have been so busy...but they are now wethers! I have heard some vets won't do a banding on any goats older then 1 year! Mine did & he did a good job...guess some vets are all about the $! Believe me when I tell you banding can be done on over 1 year old goats! Mine are Pygmy goats & their jewels were huge! I just wish the males would quit humping on each other...it's the male DNA I guess! After the horror stories of putting goats under I will NEVER chance putting any of my babies through that crap!


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