| Author | Message | ||
     Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 835 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.216.141  Rating: N/A |
I like to wait until they are at least 8-10 weeks old. This allows the urinary tract to develop but still should be young enough to keep young bucks from impregnating their sisters and dams. The whole point of waiting and letting the urinary tract is not because the urethra gets bigger in more mature bucklings, it doesn't. It is to let the penis detach from the prepuce. In very young buckling the penis is attached to the prepuce. When they start to mature and start producing more testosterone the penis detaches so that the buckling can get an erection (extend the penis out of the sheath). This makes treating UC easier if it happens. The first step to treating UC is to see if the blockage is at the urethral process, that tiny "finger" on the tip of the penis. To do this you have to be able to extend the penis out of the sheath. If you castrate early, say at a week to 4 weeks old they never produce enough testosterone to break down the attachment of the penis to the sheath. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Katharine T. Clark New member Username: shansumako Post Number: 1 Registered: 04-2006 Posted From: 67.34.151.39 Rating: N/A |
What is the best age to band the bucklings? | ||
| Maggie Leman Moderator Username: maggieleman Post Number: 829 Registered: 07-2005 Posted From: 71.111.216.141 Rating: N/A |
Cindy is right. Do look and be sure the band is in place, be SURE that is is below the teats and that both testicles are in the scrotum. Be sure he can urinate. If a band is placed too high (above the teats) it may catch the urethra in it and cut off urination. Sometimes a bit of hair is caught and you can clip the hair to make it better. Don't take off the band unless you are prepared to immediately replace it or have him surgically castrated right then. The tissue has already started to die and taking the band off will release toxins into his system. If something is wrong with the placement get him to a vet. Really, banding is one of the simplest most trouble free way to castrate. I banded for years but now I castrate by using a burdizzo, this method crushes the spermatic cord and blood vessels above the testicles without breaking the skin. But it is not as sure, you can miss (I have) and have to do it again a few weeks later when you realize that little wether is NOT really a wether. Kids do seem to get over it a bit faster using a burdizzo and I can wait longer before castrating this way (I do mine at 10 to 12 weeks). But if you miss like I did and leave that kid with his mom and sisters you have another mess to straighten out. With banding you can be sure you got it right the first time. If you have banamine you can give him 0.1 cc per 10 pounds by SQ injection for pain once a day. Or you can give Liquid Children's Motrin at 1 cc per 10 pounds orally every 4 to 6 hours as needed. If the band is where it should be he will be better by tomorrow. Maggie Leman Goat 911 Capri Medic | ||
| Cindy Hance New member Username: chance Post Number: 72 Registered: 10-2005 Posted From: 69.27.218.92 Rating: N/A |
I would check and just make sure both testicles are down and nothing is caught. We banded about 10 several weeks ago. Some of them let out one yell and that was it. One called for a day and a half and walked real funny and didn't want anything to do with us and he was our friendliest one. The others didn't seem to like by any means and made some noise for a couple of hours and also walked real funny for about a week, but after that they were pretty much fine. I do remember some leg lifting. Someone told me some of their goats fell over on their side like they were dead but they were fine. They are just like people. A kid gets a cut and can whine and scream and carry on and other child may not even notice it. I would check to see if everything is below the band and not worry too much about it-he'll be ok. I couldn't do ours I made my partner do it. I just think it's terrible but it has to be done. I know how you are feeling, I felt the same way when I went back to see my kids afterwards. Maggie will probably write to you, she always has great advice. I'm new at this myself. Cindy | ||
| (Unregistered Guest) Unregistered guest Posted From: 69.176.35.70 Rating: N/A |
I have 2 kid bucks I had banded yesterday, one seems to be doing o:k but it is bothering the youngest one worse. I had talked to a lady who raises meat goats about banding and she talked like it was not a big deal and the man I got these from bands his, infact hes the one who did it but I dont know whats a normal reaction to being banded. This is not good ,there has to be something easier. He is crying and raising his back legs some. Should I try and take it off or what should I do? |