# Banding/Burning Horns ?



## Skyz84 (Jul 25, 2011)

Hi! I'm trying to figure out what to do for a future buck. I'm personally against horns. I have 2 girls with horns and have had numerous problems with them & there horns! I don't want anymore horned goats! After they kid for me once they will either have to go to new homes or possibly have there horns banded. I have not decided. As beautiful as there horns are they have caused a lot of unintentional harm.

I am looking for a buck for breeding this year and seem to have a delima! Most people in my area don't disbud =/ The rare few I have found don't have any bucklings for sale. I have found several bucklings I like.... WITH horns.

Two are 4 weeks old and will be ready to go at 8 weeks old. Right now I don't see any horn buds showing on them... yet. The breeder doesn't disbud but did give me the option of finding a vet to do it in her area. I would pay for the baby upfront, take it to the vet to get burned and then return to the breeder for another 4 weeks. As super cute as they are I'm worried they wont be able to breed my adult girls by late Nov. or Early December because they will only be a little over 3 months old? I just don't know if they will be tall enough! Both of my girls are easily 20" tall and my doelings did not reach the same height until about 5-6 months.

I found a different buck I like. He is 6 months old with horns. Is it possible to successfully band a bucks horns at this age?

Thanks!


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## RMADairyGoats (Jun 20, 2011)

No, you can't band a bucks horns as the base is to big ( Sorry that you can't find someone to disbud. Will your vet do it? I hope you find your dream disbudded buck soon! :hug:


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## peggy (Aug 11, 2010)

I have a friend who has banded horns on adult goats before with success. These were does so not sure about bucks. I wouldn't think that the horns would be that big on a 6 month old buckling yet???? All my goats are disbudded. I had to go out of province to get a buck without horns as I found the same problem in my area, most people didn't disbud. Good luck in finding your boy.


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

Yes, actually you can band most buck horns. I've done it before. You just need to make notches at the base and place several castrator bands on. A nigerian buck six months to a year old, you should be able to band. I'd do it sooner rather then later though. However, for bucks older than a year i'd recommend doing surgical dehorning if you need to get rid of horns. Sometimes the base on the buck horns are to big, but for a six month old you should be ok.


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## milk and honey (Oct 31, 2010)

I guess I would keep expanding my search.. and go to where the perfect (no horn) buck is. you can even arrange shipping or overground transport sometimes... good luck!


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

You can band a buck at that age or even older. There are different size bands like those made for cows if the regular ones don't fit; but the regular ones should fit fine.


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## Skyz84 (Jul 25, 2011)

Thank you for all the opinions  I don't think I'll let the idea of a young buck with small horns discourage me too much from my search for the ideal buck....


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## Red Mare (Aug 17, 2011)

freedomstarfarm said:


> You can band a buck at that age or even older. There are different size bands like those made for cows if the regular ones don't fit; but the regular ones should fit fine.


So glad I stumbled across this. My normal bands are not suited for the horns on the older buck that we bought. I love his lines and looks, but golly do I Hate those horns!
I have been so spoiled with all my disbudded/polled goats I guess!
Thank you for the info!


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## primal woman (Sep 17, 2011)

I just dehorned an adult female with no problems. Cut below the hair line and then cauterize the opening. Then put a powder over it. A powder such as a wound powder. And then leave it alone. Very little blood and no more bullying! She now can be with the rest of the herd and they get along fine. Before dehorning, she had to be kept tied all the time as she was too mean with her horns. So glad that I did it.


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## goatmama (Mar 23, 2010)

Wow, I've always read and told by my vet that dehorning an adult goat had to be surgically because as the horn grows it opens a hole into the cavity of the head. I disbud my kids the minute I feel a nub. It is so much easier on the animal. I prefer having my vet do it for me because she numbs around the bud, so it is less painful for the little critters. I also prefer that all of my herd is disbudded, it cuts back on injuries and heads stuck in fences, etc.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

what breed of goat are you looking for a buck from? I know of people in TX who raise nigerian dwarf goats


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