As much as we all love our goat kids, you can only keep so many. Some are great for breeding, but not every goat should be bred. In my herd, I have a fatal genetic defect, which is why I no longer breed with Marley. I also have CAE in the herd. I know my kids are mostly destined for the food supply. I had planned on castrating all of my bucks, turning them into wethers, but I haven’t done a very good job of it. In reality, where I am taking my kids to sell, it’s pretty likely they are going into the food chain even without those precautions.
I’ve had questions on my preferred methods of castration, and I’ll tell you that it depends. Marley was an adult, and he was surgically castrated. I know some people that do all of theirs surgically as an adult. I can’t really say that would be my recommendation. The sedation is very hard on goats. They will even try to do C-sections with a local anesthetic if possible because of the problems anesthesia can cause. It’s also an open wound that is more likely to attract flies and become infected.
Marley
When possible, I try to band my bucks because there is less blood and a much quicker recovery time. If I plan on keeping the goat as a wether (Bud, Myson, Casey), I wait until they are a little older. This gives their urinary system more time to develop. Male goats are susceptible to urinary problems because of their very tiny penis. My pets have all been banded between 10 and 12 weeks. They’ve not had any problems. If you are banding bucks that are going to go into the food chain, my vet says he bands his at about 4 – 5 days. He’s not had any problems with them.
Today, our little demo buck is Chip. He was born acting like a buck. He snorts and talks and stomps his hoof and for the last week he’s been relentlessly jumping his maa. It’s the wrong time of year for her to settle, but she is being run ragged spinning in circles trying to get away from him. So he has been volunteered for out tutorial.
Chip
Everything you need to band a buck: elastrator, a band (always have an extra in case you break it or shoot it across the barnyard), a shot of overeating tetanus vaccine and a dose of banamine.
You can give the banamine about 20 minutes ahead of the procedure to make sure it’s in the kid’s system, or if they are wild like Chip, you can do it all at once. I give my banamine orally. I know it’s supposed to be a shot, but the shot burns, and I did have one vet tell me you can do it orally. I’ve seen it work, so I know it’s effective that way. Give the tetanus vaccine.
Put a band on the elastrator. Squeeze it a time or two and you’ll see the difference in how easy it is to open it up.
If you have someone to help you, you can hold the kid up straight in front of you, and you get a good view of where you’re working. I personally find this way awkward, and I think it’s hard to hold them this way.
I generally am by myself, so I hold the kid between my legs with the rump to my front. I can’t really see what I’m doing, but I can feel everything I need to get the job done.
Slip the band around the scrotum and move the elastrator up until the prongs are resting on the abdomen. Let go so that it tightens around the scrotum.
Before removing the band by rolling it off the prongs, you might want to check and make sure both testicles are below the band. If not, you have to do it again or you will still have a buck capable of breeding. Open up and pull it away, and you’ve just made a wether.
You’ll notice he had all four feet on the ground the whole time, and that’s a lot more comforting to them than holding them up. I don’t usually pick them up, but I wanted to show you the band on there. It does hurt. They will cry and make you feel guilty, but it doesn’t last long. I don’t think there is such a thing as a painless castration, but I do band to try and be the safest, least painful and quickest recovery.
Chip stayed in the greenhouse with his brother from another mother, Huey, while the big goats had their grain.
Chip and Huey
Finally, Coffee wanted to feed her boys, and she was hollering for him, so I went and woke him up.
Coffee
It was about an hour and a half from the time I banded him, and he came running. It might not have been quite as bouncy as usual, but he was not bothered by the band.
His tail was wagging and he and Dale managed to pick their mom up off her back feet.
You do want to keep an eye on it to make sure flies aren’t bothering. If so, just a bit of fly spray. If it looks a bit oosy, you can use some peroxide. The older the buck, the longer it will take for the scrotum to fall off. Usually ten days or so.
Thanks to my sister, Tammy Buck, for the photographer skills. This is one I couldn’t do on my own. 🙂
Since I don’t want to freak out any city folk, I’ll just be linking this to the farmy blog hops, Homestead Barn Hop and Clever Chick’s Blog Hop and Farmgirl Friday.
Teresa
Eden Hills 
~ Great post! I always enjoy reading your blog when I get a chance to cruse blog world. Great job on the wethering and pics.
Thanks. It’s always a tough decision. I don’t do it often, but sometimes you just have to.
Good tutorial! I was wondering when a good time is to castrate Jenna’s male goat. We’re waiting longer this year, since we had urinary calculi problems last year! (the vet will do it surgically when he’s here the next time for herd check) We’re also making some feeding changes…we had no idea that alfalfa hay isn’t good for goats, and can cause problems! Have you heard of this?
I’m glad to see that Chip is bouncing back quickly!
A lot of people feed alfalfa because it has the higher protein. With the drought this year, I’ve had to feed alfalfa because it’s all I had, and I wanted to give that to my nursing moms before I could let them out to pasture because I couldn’t keep up with their needs. That being said, I typically feed grass hay from my pasture because my vet had told me a long time ago that the grass would provide enough for them and they didn’t need alfalfa.
I have a wether, he is the best pet in the world, he was surgically castrated at 6 months. But he is the sweetest goat ever!!!
Those boys are always the sweetest! I love my four wethers too. 🙂
i’d hate to do it the first time, but you obviously have had the necessary practice. 🙂
I don’t do it a lot, and it is really super easy to do. It’s a lot harder emotionally than anything else.
Thank you for posting this Teresa and keeping it easy to understand! Great post and so very important information!
Thanks. There is no right or wrong, but this is my practice. It’s very easy to do.
I have done both, green cheerio and surgery…. and in the end found the callicrate bander to be superior to both. My “green cheerio” experience on a young buckling took over 7 weeks to fall off, and he was in pain for DAYS. Once we tried the callicrate we never went back. It works even on adults and they are up and eating within hours. They also make a wee bander for younger animals. I don’t work for them or anything….it just seems to be superior to and much more comfortable than the Cheerio version…. I know at least one rescue who uses it now too.
Not familiar with that. I haven’t had problems with the green bands for the most part. Myson did take forever to lose his, but it has been effective. With the banamine for pain, it barely slows them down.
I would say it is very cost prohibitive no matter how well it works unless you are doing many, many animals.
Teresa, you’re a brave woman! 🙂 I’m glad the bands don’t bother him and that he seemed unaffected by the process.
It doesn’t take long for them to get past the discomfort/pain. It’s not something I like doing, but there are times it is necessary.
You are amazing – there doesn’t seem to be anything you can’t do , and I admire that very much!
All things considered, this one is pretty easy. I had seen it done many times. The vet explained it to me, which I’m sure was cute in their office lobby. I still don’t like to, so I only do it when there is a reason, like Coffee being worn ragged.
Great post Teresa! It certainly isn’t a fun thing to do but you are very efficient and Chip didn’t seem overly concerned. They do cry though making us feel guilty. 😉
We had a little buckling two years ago who was very much a buck right away too.
P.S. Marley is sure looking good!
Marly is very happy with his life. I’m hoping the lack of testosterone will help him enjoy fall. 🙂 Chip was a trooper, and I really hope he leaves poor Coffee alone now.
This is going to crack you up. One day earlier this year, I was called to the principal’s office to pick up a student for my suspension room. On his desk were these wild thick green rubber bands I had never seen before.I kept staring, and then like the old lady I am I just asked him what in heaven’s name there were. BUT, I thought you had to pull them out yourself and put them over the testicles. Thanks for bringing that mistake to my attention. You are so good to you babes and are certainly to be admired for all you do to keep them healthy and happy. genie
That really did make me smile. I don’t think you could get them on without the bander. Those are some very tight bands!
Excellent tutorial ~ you certainly have your work cut out for you ~ I love all your goats and don’t eat meat so am sad that some will become part of the food chain ~ Tis life, though, ~ enjoy each moment and thanks for ‘visiting’ ^_&
I am a vegetarian too. 🙂 It’s always sad when they leave the farm, but they do have a wonderful life while they are here.
awesome, I was just getting ready to get my bucks done and wasnt sure what to do. The pictures are great and helped me alot and your explaing was perfect. Thank you for helping me deball my guys!
I always try to make life a little easier for goats and their humans. Glad it helped!
Interesting post!
Thanks. It’s one of those things you don’t think about if you don’t have to. 🙂
Ha! You mean you can’t hold the camera with one hand while applying the elastic with the other? 🙂
No. 😦 I’m not that talented.
This post reminds me of that time long ago back home in my tropical country where some neighbors and relatives were taking care of animals. 🙂 I know it’s not a very easy life but looking in from the outside, this looks all so idyllic and ideal.
It is a wonderful way of life, but it certainly is a lot of work and worry also.
Wow.
Thanks so much for that!
I do know that if I want to keep Darla’s first born(s) I will have to do this.
But…let me say…….oh, how I wish you were here!!!!! 😉
*huggies*
and wish me luck! xoxoxoxo
You can do it! It really is the best way in my opinion. Others have their preferred method, but this seems to be the least hard on the kids.