# Banding advice



## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Well, it’s that time of year again ): Mainly looking for moral support, haha!

I’m planning to band my “to be wethers” very soon. I was wondering how you guys know the band isn’t too close or too far from the stomach? I’m afraid of getting a bit of the urethra in there. I know I’m probably fretting over nothing, but after reading a few scary stories on here, it’s enough to get me on edge 

I’m planning to soak the band (and the “jewels”) in iodine beforehand. How often should I blu-kote them to prevent infection? If I use the tetanus anti-toxin, how often will I need to re-apply? Have you had many issues banding if you use the anti-toxin, iodine, and blu-kote? I just want my boys as safe as possible 

I also have a buckling who is a bit frail, Little Guy. He is active, spunky, growing. He just is the one who needs extra care. I know the longer I wait the harder it will be, should I just go ahead and band him with the others?


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## OwnedByTheGoats (Mar 7, 2013)

I banded my two a little while ago. I just administered the tetanus antitoxin, banded, and that was it. Just made sure no teats were in and the testi's were in.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

This yr I let FFA do them since they wanted to. Had them dip applicator with band in alcohol.
One guy was done a little low but is fine. He is for meat anyway.

Also prepared for cleaning off any dirt.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Thanks, guys  I'm torn between wanting to band now and save some discomfort, or band later. Those of you with wether pets, how old were they castrated? Our boys are 6 weeks right now.


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## OwnedByTheGoats (Mar 7, 2013)

I banded my wethers for someone at 2 months old because I needed them banded then.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Thanks, Grace. I did have a pet wether who was banded at 5 weeks, he never had any pee issues, so I think we should be okay.


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## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

I'm doing my first tomorrow, he's 11 weeks old, I'm going to give anti toxin,banamine and then I'm just going do it, not to high,not to low. Im Nervous but would like to become comfortable with this part as well, all that leaves is disbudding and I'm not going there! There are some you tube videos but most are hard to see, I think someone from on here posted the best one because I recognize the profile pic of a goat. I think it's got to be pretty easy, we ran a dairy farm before I remember and my dad banded hundreds of calves he says its nothing, then he tried the burdizzo but he hated it because he felt liked it caused a tremendous amount of pain compared to the banding.We can do it!


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

Make sure they've had CD/t atleast 3 weeks in advance and make sure you get both testicles. The smaller guys are harder IMO since there isn't much to band. I like to do at 8-10 weeks. Usually you have to still pull one at a time through but that's easier to me than having the little ones.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

I find that if I do them standing on a table while someone else gives their bottle to them or feeds a bit of grain, gravity really helps get the band in the right spot. I can see what I'm doing better too.
I do mine at 8 to 10 weeks depending on how big they are.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Jodi_berg, we can do this!

Goathiker, how do you keep the kid still? My boys don’t like being touched “back there”  Have you had any trouble with the kid impregnating anyone at that age? I have Nigerians and they are somewhat notorious for being fertile :laugh: but I would love to be able to wait until they reached puberty, as long as no one is “oops’d”.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

Our guys were put on a stand. Piece of cake.


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## Dani-1995 (Mar 11, 2011)

All this time I've been flipping the over... you guys just made me feel real stupid LOL!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

But my guys are minis! Their little heads can't even fit into the stand! :laugh: Last year I held them on my lap.


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## nancy d (Oct 5, 2007)

If they are young or little yes flipping them into lap works.
When they get 40# or so we get what we call a booster seat, a frame with plywood over it that we put on the stand so the little heads can reach through the headlock.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

That is a very good idea.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

If they won't stand still, I have hubby take both front legs and stand them on their hind feet with their tummy toward me. The trick is to not touch their legs. That's what they hate so much normally. 
I have been known to put a dam raised kids mom on the stand and let him nurse while I do the deed. My headgate won't close far enough for these guys. 
I haven't had problems with them impregnating anyone. These are all big breed boys though. They aren't in puberty at 10 or even 12 weeks usually. Any one who does need seperated can go in with my buck. He is very gentle and loves to have his babies visit with him. Took me a lot of years to find him, the perfect pack goat buck temperment.


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## dezak91 (Feb 22, 2013)

I like to band between 8-12 weeks old. I just have the baby stand and from behind I make sure the testes are through the band right up to the body. I don't use any kind of antiseptic since there is no wound... Yet. After a few days and the band is cutting in then I spray around the band. And of course make sure they are up to date on tetanus. So far so good, no bad luck (knock on wood).


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## MsScamp (Feb 1, 2010)

ThreeHavens said:


> I was wondering how you guys know the band isn't too close or too far from the stomach?
> 
> *I leave a bit of room between the prongs on the bander and their stomachs. Not much, but I don't press the prongs into their stomachs.*
> 
> ...


Having never seen him, I can't answer that one. I would suggest going with your instincts.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Originally Posted by *ThreeHavens*
_I was wondering how you guys know the band isn't too close or too far from the stomach?

*I leave a bit of room between the prongs on the bander and their stomachs. Not much, but I don't press the prongs into their stomachs.*_

_ I use mine the other direction. I roll the band down off the prongs._


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## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

Done!!!! And ,let me say I nailed it,banamine 45 min before, both in the band,no nipples in and he barely noticed. He made a little cry when the band came off the last prong but it went great!


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Awesome, good job


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Good work! We've decided to hold off a bit -- they aren't too active yet, so if I can wait a little longer, I feel that may be better for them.


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## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

You'll be fine until 10-11 weeks I have found mine are to clumsy to really score! Thanks for all your help Jill!


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## .:Linz:. (Aug 25, 2011)

I did two of mine for the first time this year, they were about two months old. I went by the "Best Days to Castrate" in the Farmer's Almanac. http://www.farmersalmanac.com/calendar/best-days/farm-animals/castrate-farm-animals/ For pain, I gave them each a dose of Molly's Herbals Ow-Eze 35 minutes beforehand, and apart from a cry of protest when the band slipped off the last prong, they weren't bothered at all. I had a friend helping/coaching me, and she held them and checked placement, we put it pretty high up, maybe like level with the ends of their teats or a little higher. Things are progressing nicely, they're dry and hard but haven't fallen off yet.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Boys are starting to show interest, so looks like it'll be sometime this week. Today my quads are 7 weeks old, so they will be close to 8 weeks by the time they are banded.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

What would the dose for the tetanus anti-toxin and the banamine be? These are 7 week old Nigerian Dwarves. They will probably be very near 8 weeks when they are castrated.


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

Tetanus anti-toxin is 2cc or the entire contents of a single dose bottle.
Banamine is 1cc per 100lbs. so a 20lb kid would get .2cc.


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

goathiker said:


> Tetanus anti-toxin is 2cc or the entire contents of a single dose bottle.
> Banamine is 1cc per 100lbs. so a 20lb kid would get .2cc.


This^^ Vaccines do not dose by weight (a 10 pound goat should get the same amount as a 300 pound goat, just like a mini horse gets the same shots as a Clydesdale) but pain killers and anti-inflammatory meds do.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

For a buckling that is fully CD/T vaccinated, do I still need to give the anti-toxin?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

ThreeHavens said:


> For a buckling that is fully CD/T vaccinated, do I still need to give the anti-toxin?


 I never do.


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## .:Linz:. (Aug 25, 2011)

Doesn't the anti-toxin "cancel out" the anti-toxoid, so you'd have to re-vax anyway?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Does it? I hadn't heard that before.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Got the Banamine (thanks, Stacey!), and got the toxoid for my un-vaccinated boys. Tonight's the date for at least three of them, as they are really starting to pester my does. :laugh: Poor boys.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Well, didn't happen tonight, we were too tired.  For tomorrow, how early before the banding should I give them banamine? Right before, or does it need time to start working?


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## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

45 min before


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

All right, I know I'm being silly, but does anyone have pictures of the band placement? I'm pretty sure I know where to put it, I just want to make sure I'm doing things right, and don't catch any plumbing in there. I'll be sure to leave room between the prongs and the tummy, should that about do it?

Jodi, did you give the Banamine SQ or IM?


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Ah, sorry, another question. Do we need to refrigerate the banamine?


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## goathiker (Apr 14, 2011)

No Banimine can be refrigerated but, doesn't need to be. Also it never expires no matter what your bottle says. My vet told me there are no chemical changes, it lasts forever. 
My boys are big enough that I turn the bander prongs down, put it against their stomach, and roll the band down.


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

ThreeHavens said:


> All right, I know I'm being silly, but does anyone have pictures of the band placement? I'm pretty sure I know where to put it, I just want to make sure I'm doing things right, and don't catch any plumbing in there. I'll be sure to leave room between the prongs and the tummy, should that about do it?
> 
> Jodi, did you give the Banamine SQ or IM?


The pictures in this thread were a huge help to me: http://www.thegoatspot.net/forum/f186/pics-how-castrate-correctly-incorrectly-106283/

I don't want it up tight to the body because then you risk getting something in the band that shouldn't be as well as having a lot of tightness pulling on their skin around the scrotum, but also don't want it too low. How far away from the body kind of depends on the size of goat, of course. But the top picture in this thread is what i go by, personally.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Thanks, War Pony! I have to laugh at myself, I'm such a worry wart about everything.


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## WarPony (Jan 31, 2010)

ThreeHavens said:


> Thanks, War Pony! I have to laugh at myself, I'm such a worry wart about everything.


 I am, too. There is nothing wrong with that because it makes us careful. 

I just went over to a friend's and banded two of her bucklings yesterday and I stuck around for three hours chatting just so I could keep an eye on them and make sure they were doing ok, lol. Which they were, they never fussed or anything, but they did keep laying down and sticking their hind legs out to the side. They would be all dramatic until one of the other goats jumped up on their favorite climbing spot, then they would jump up, run over and chase the other goat off, then go back to laying down and acting all bummed out about the whole thing. lol.


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## Jodi_berg (Oct 29, 2012)

I gave it im,I put the band below the teats but above the sac,I took a few minutes and really planned where I wanted the band,the testies are a little slippery inside the sack just go slow,be calm and make sure they are both in.then look where your band will end up after its rolled of the tines,you want clearance of the little man nipples. It's actually really easy. I did Brian 11 days ago and I spray some banixx on it 1x per day, I will never use blue cote again as I find it really hard to see the band area when it's dark purple. The band does irritate the skin as it goes through the process but his area looks really good, just slightly abraded. 11 days ago he had a pretty big goat sack,today all he has is what looks like a shriveled up thumb. I will be surprised if they hold on more than another 2 weeks.


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Thanks for the moral support, all! And it's okay to give the tetanus toxoid and the banamine at the same time? Unless we are dead tired again, tonight should be the fated day. :laugh: Poor boys. But the quads will be eight weeks tomorrow, and the oldest, Mikey, was showing a lot of interest in Busy Bee and Ginger today. :laugh: No oops babies, Mike!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Bit the bullet ... banded the babies. The banamine definitely made a big difference ... most of the boys just laid down to go to sleep. I'm still fretting the placement since I had to hold them in a sitting position on my lap. They should be okay ... I think I'm suffering more than them at this point, ugh.


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## OwnedByTheGoats (Mar 7, 2013)

Great job! It was hard my first time too, just watching them go through that. One of my boys just got out of my lap and went nuts! He jumped and kicked just like he normally would, without any pain reliever!


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Well, this was my second time, but I hadn't read as many horror stories last year.


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## jddolan (Mar 31, 2013)

It just keeps getting easier,each time


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

I hope so. I will be watching them like hawks now, waiting for them to pee. :laugh:


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## ThreeHavens (Oct 20, 2011)

Everyone's doing great! No sign that anything's wrong, other than a little bit posty-legged. They still wanted to jump all over and kiss me, and were mounting and fighting with each other. :laugh: It was good to see them bright-eyed and active. I think the banamine is what made the difference for me this year. :thumb:


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