Courtesy of Danielle Langloism, Wikipedia CCLBloodless Castration
Kristeva at Howling Duck Ranch details the bloodless castration of her 12-week-old bucklings … which she did the morning of her birthday.
In this post, she explains clearly and thoroughly what’s involved in castrating your goats yourself with a clamp.
She says those interested in doing their own castration should read the “Veterinary Guide for Animal Owners” by C.E. Spaulding and Jackie Clay.
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Our 3 dudes are roughly 7 months old. It’s quite obvious that they haven’t been castrated. We’re talking “two grapefruit in a punching bag,” providing on-site comic relief, 24/7. But your forecast of a world of pain frightens me.
Can we stretch out our laissez-faire policy until December? Or are we and the neighbors about to whiff some serious goat funk?
Oh, guys, we have sooo many things to talk about. First point on the list: it’s not just the pee. Some folks find it charming to cozy up to an amorous caprine covered in yellow stickiness (I’m not one of them) but added to the obvious scent of testosterone laden piss is the overwhelming odor of horny goat gland (comparable to a tarsel gland in deer). Now there’s the gift that keeps on giving – strong enough to knock out a small community or at least make them all scratch their heads and say “what the hell???” followed by did I step in?, did you do?, died?. Seriously. Bad. No, seriously. So….your dudes are too big at this point for the easy crimp method which probably means cutting and that’s pretty icky. Call a vet and see if they can still be banded, otherwise, get those bad boys cut. Now. Rut won’t be really bad this year (probably) but you’ll smell them, as will nearby neighbors, and anyone/thing that touches them will carry that joy along with them everywhere they go.
Next point: Tarp? For the goat house? TARP? What are you thinking? It’ll look great for about 10 minutes and then…..they’ll eat it. Think wood. Think corrugated metal. Think….something that isn’t easily eaten.
NJ,
I’m familiar with the stank from a buck’s tarsal gland. That’s definitely not a smell I’d like our guests to associate with the backyard…
Miss Charlie, our friendly goat farmer, calmed me down by assuring that the evil goat odor shouldn’t be a problem as early as December. Nor should it affect the taste of the meat. I’ll be able to tell you for sure by Christmas time.
For now, it’s looking like their gargantuan nut sacs will persist. I wasn’t that eager to remove them anyway. It’s a subconscious, male Golden Rule kind of thing I guess.
But I appreciate your feedback. I’ll be sure to keep you and everyone else posted on the status of the goat funk.
You’ll find, if you were to compare, that an intact buck has a much stronger flavor than a wether or doe but a lot of people don’t mind. My current buck started rutting at 8 months and smelled so bad that comments were made when I stopped at the post office after hanging out with him. hehe Live and learn. Depends on the goat, depends on the environment and when it comes to eating, really depends on your palate. Myself, I won’t eat an intact buck or a bull for that matter. But that’s just me.
Naimhe Jeanne is going to get back to you on this. She has bucks. I don’t. But dude, believe me, you don’t want that smell wafting up into your house or your neighbors’ yards. Did you know during mating season that uncastrated male goats pee on their faces and into their mouths to saturate themselves with the odor? Whew. It ain’t pretty Zach.
Zach:
I think you should start a pool on when the goats will come into rut. You could get up some serious money on this. Am I wrong?!