I have a little doe goat who is a potential milk goat/pet. How important do you all think it is to have her dehorned? I have two other does who are dehorned all are very tame and sweet. Thanks for your time and advice. Nancy

-- Nancy Steele (nsteele@theofficenet.com), August 15, 2000

Answers

Depemds on how old she is. if she is older than 2 weeks she may have problems and you will get scurs. Then you will struggle with repeat bisbudding. If you want her to be safe and not get caught in fences or tress, etc., and not hurt the others i would but if she is older you may want a vet to surgically dehornm her. We had this done last spring on a buck with a huge scur, he was 2 yrs old and we did it for comestic reasons as we show. We also di 1 doe kid as well. Its up to you but I'd think about your needs and hers. hope this helps. if you show and think you may you will need to.

-- Bernice (geminigoats@yahoo.com), August 15, 2000.

To keep all of them nice and sweet you need to disbud her, to old? then have her dehorned now before she is bred or milking. Horns are a big pain, heads stuck in the fence, like giving one teenager a knife, they get their heads stuck in the fence, they can poke you just walking next to them, they stab you in the belly if you straddle them to worm them and oh yeah! They get their head stuck in the fence! Vicki

-- Vicki McGaugh (vickilonesomedoe@hotmail.com), August 16, 2000.

Thanks for the help in seeing the less attractive side of horns. I'll get her dehorned. Nancy

-- Nancy Steele (nsteele@theofficenet.com), August 16, 2000.

You can also band dehorn if they are too large to burn off. Put two notches on either side of the horn and place an elastrator band at the base. Make sure your goat has had a tetnus shot (for any dehorning procedure) and I would only band dehorn in cool weather when there are no flys.

-- Dianne (yankeeterrier@hotmail.com), August 18, 2000.