# Banding



## GSFarm

I have to band Simba, a buckling who was born here and sold to a local family, today and I'm nervous but so excited to see him! 

I have a few questions on banding though.
1. How do you get the ban off the elastor once it's where it needs to be?
2. How long will it take for the balls to fall off?

Also from what I've been researching the past few weeks I've come up with this procedure - please correct me if I'm wrong.

1. Give the goat Antitoxin.
2. Place the band on the elastor. 
3. Fit the Elastor over the sac.
4. Place the band near the belly but be sure not to get the teats in the band. 
5. Two weeks later give the Type C&D Toxiod. 

Is this correct?


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## samall

1. Sometimes if snaps right off, sometimes you kind of have to help it slide off.
2. Up to 4 weeks, I've had a few even take a few days longer.


We don't give antitoxin before banding & have never had a problem. It probably depends on how common tetanus is in your area, though. The rest of the procedure is exactly what we do, but when you check the teats to make sure they aren't caught in the band, also check the testicles to make sure one didn't slip above the band.


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## lacy_94

"WARNING"

banding can cause infection and kill your goats... thats what the vet told us so we got them surgicaly removed but alittle expencive but worth it in a high price goat. just a warning try to do it in the winter months so the flies arent as bad and it want bleed so much. just a little heads up 

thanks, tayler


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## samall

We've banded all our baby boys and have never had any infections or problems of any sort. They cry for a few minutes until numbness sets in and that's it. Flies aren't a problem because there is never an open wound or bleeding, the sac just dries up and falls off over a period of weeks. We do all of ours between 2 and 4 weeks. Of course there will be some vets that advise you to have it surgically done instead because they don't make any money when you can easily do something yourself. Our vet recommended banding and then showed us how to do it. Of course if you aren't comfortable doing the banding have a vet do it, but I don't think infection is a big problem with banding unless you get a teat or some stomach skin caught in the band.

I'd have the surgical method done on an older goat, but banding works great for kids.


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## FarmGirl18

It's really easy, I did my first ones this spring. I would definately give them the shot. Took mine a really long time for it to fall off. Just make sure you get both testicles below the band!


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## Janine

I even saved the fallen off balls. Just like I saved my daughter's belly button when it fell off. They are like petrified pieces of fur.


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## moonspinner

That warning from the vet is a bit of overkill, not to intentionally use a pun. Any procedure can theoretically kill an individual at some point, but banding, done properly, and keeping an eye on its progression is as safe as surgical castration. I'm sure far more bandings have been done than cutting. I had one case where the skin opened up, but I kept it clean and disinfected and all turned out fine.


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## StaceyRosado

Quick tip:
have someone hold the kid above you - and that way you can have them decended and get both in the band.

To get it off it isnt' easy so work fast but efficently and roll it off as you release the pressure on the band - "unsqueeze"


I never gave shots - but it can't hurt.

The sack can take up to 8 weeks to fall off.


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## Chaty

Banding is what I do also and I do give the tetnus antitoxin just in case...I think it is less likely to become infected this way as to surgically removing them and no stitches or open wounds like when they do bulls...plus the vet makes his money this way and using the elasticator is so much easier and less stressful also, I have been doing it for years on mine...even did a grown buck with my calf bander when I wanted to keep him and didnt need another buck running arouond...
It all depends on what you want to do ...they fall off in a few weeks with no problems...This is just what I do as the vet is 37 miles from my house and that is why I do it here...


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## cute kids

two of my wethers, twins who were banded at about seven or eight weeks before i got them, didn't loose their balls for over five weeks. i was worried, but was reassured that this is normal. however, after my absence of a few days, i came home to two very sick little boys. both of them had developed infections above the banding. 
i was instructed to cut them off, and other things, plus giving them penicillin shots which just killed me. they improved in about two days, swelling and redness gone, and they began acting like themselves.

i don't know for sure, because any other bandings i have dealt with went fine, but it seemed for these two that the band wasn't tight enough. there was still viable tissue at the center of the part banded. this is where the infection came from. it was half dead tissue, instead of dried and dead as usual, and this after several weeks. a third wether banded at the same time (different farm) lost his about a week before these guys got sick; that was all dried and just fine.
anybody have any experience with this? CAN the band be too loose? i have never done it myself, so don't know just how the elastrator is set up. maybe an old rubber band??
anyway, they are fine now, and this is the only time any of my guys had any trouble.


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## samall

cute kids I've been told to keep the bands in the house instead of leaving them outside in the heat/humidity of summer or the freezing temps. of winter because it could cause them to lost some of their elasticity. I've also been told that the *do* get old if they sit around too long. It does sound like there was something not right with them, for sure.


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## Chaty

Also I have heard that if they are not large enough that it will cause them to take longer. I usually wait till I can bairly poke them thru the band even with it expanded. This way it dont take to long...knock on wood ...I havent had any trouble with mine but I also keep fresh bands too, and if you shave or trim the hair around it it does help it to fall off faster. The hair inhibits the band getting to the skin thus taking longer to accomplish what it is supposed to do. I trim the longer hairs away with a little hand held clipper I have, not electric.


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## fritzie

the only thing that i would add is once you know that both testicles are down there roll the band down just to make sure you do not have any opart of the urinary trac in there


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## jBlaze

*imo*

Banding is great for young kids. I would not do on older kids though. We give CDT shot and band in the first week or two, never a problem. Waited a month once, and did not feel comfortable about banding that size, the vet just cut them out, poor little dudes were miserable for two days! I advocate for banding young or look into the 'burizollo' (?) method, which does not cut the goat, I have heard great things on that, but I do not know about it. good luck!


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## GSFarm

We decided to have the vet do it this time since he's a little older, but all this info is great since I will be banding some of my boys this year.


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## lacy_94

freak yall all I was doing was giving a quick warning about banding but noooo there will always be people too be like that woun't happen. But if done wrong yea it could be a danger but its yall freakin faut if you lose any kids, 

peace.


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## Sara

Lacy, they aren't saying that it won't happen, but that it hasn't happened to them. And in my opinion they are quite experienced. Nobody was trying to offend you, but whatever I thought everyone was out to get my when I was your age too. ;D


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## liz

> But if done wrong yea it could be a danger but its yall freakin faut if you lose any kids


You are right on this....but with any type of procedure there is always the chance of something going wrong. Wether it be by a vet or done by you.I have never had any problems with banding my lil' boys and do so at @7 weeks old....there is always a part of me that second guesses my technique....only because theres always 1 little boy that is a real mommas boy and tends to pull the heartstings..lol....It took practice and guts to get the job done....and after banding 14 bucklings...I'm confident that I can do it without any major problems. Trick is to have the knowledge first and being attentive enough to realize that there could be a problem with the band....pay attention to the little things that could escalate into a bigger problem if not dealt with ASAP.


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## fritzie

lacy i don't think any one was saying that you were wrong. i am a strong believer that every one has to do what is right for them & there herd. dosen't mean one is right or one is wrong it is just what works for them. i always give an antitoxin shot before i do any thing to my babies but that is just how i do it.


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## Fainters

I give the CD & T before I band and I also give them baby aspirin for the first 24 hours to make them more comfortable. I haven't had any problems with banding 4-8 week old bucks. I did have a horrible experience with the vet castrating 2 of mine when I first got goats. They were in excruciating pain plus they did have open wounds that I had to keep the flies out of. I decided to do it myself and have been happy with the results. Usually by the time they go to their new homes, the sac has fallen off.

http://www.freewebs.com/scapegoatranch/


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## Sweet Gum Minis

The infection most bucklings can get is tetanus. If you give CD/T it seems to delay the tetanus whereas if you give a tetanus antitoxin it is fast acting. So its good to give it at the time of banding.

If your bucklings skin was to break you would want to keep it clean and an antibiotic spray on it. 

I band my bucklings.


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## Krduncan

My little guy was banded a few days ago. So far he is doing great. I have read all the horror stories and was worried about having it done, but didn't know how I was going to keep him from his momma and sister so we decided to go ahead and have it done


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## spot

I like banding. bloodless, easy, reliable. the unlucky boy gets a tetanus shot. a bottle with aspirin water and last time I put some Benadryl inside to make him sleepy. never had a problem [8x up to now]


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## Goats Rock

cute kids said:


> two of my wethers, twins who were banded at about seven or eight weeks before i got them, didn't loose their balls for over five weeks. i was worried, but was reassured that this is normal. however, after my absence of a few days, i came home to two very sick little boys. both of them had developed infections above the banding.
> i was instructed to cut them off, and other things, plus giving them penicillin shots which just killed me. they improved in about two days, swelling and redness gone, and they began acting like themselves.
> 
> i don't know for sure, because any other bandings i have dealt with went fine, but it seemed for these two that the band wasn't tight enough. there was still viable tissue at the center of the part banded. this is where the infection came from. it was half dead tissue, instead of dried and dead as usual, and this after several weeks. a third wether banded at the same time (different farm) lost his about a week before these guys got sick; that was all dried and just fine.
> anybody have any experience with this? CAN the band be too loose? i have never done it myself, so don't know just how the elastrator is set up. maybe an old rubber band??
> anyway, they are fine now, and this is the only time any of my guys had any trouble.


It does help to keep the bands in the fridge- keeps them from degrading. 
Also, try and buy fresh bands, the code on the bag will have a date, look for a 12 or soon, a 13.


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## burtfarms

I have a buckling that just turned 1 month old, and will be a 4-H project is it too soon to band him?


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## kccjer

burtfarms said:


> I have a buckling that just turned 1 month old, and will be a 4-H project is it too soon to band him?


I personally woudnt band him til 2 months old...at least. Had a 4h goat die 1week before fair due to ui and have heard that early castration can be a factor


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## burtfarms

thank-you for your help. the kids would be heart broken if anything happened to him.


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## thewrightsway

I am experiencing same problem, I believe my guys testicles are either stuck in the band or above.


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## CritterCarnival

This is a very old thread, if you start a new one with a description of the problem and a picture if possible, you will have better luck getting help.


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