# Is Banding really inhumane?



## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

I do not want to do something that is going to cause ongoing - day in and out - pain for the buckling we need to wether. 
I just did not feel confident in successfully using the budizzo and bought a bander. . . 
Has anyone used both and really felt the former is much more humane?

When you guys band, do they scream and seem in pain for a long time after the band is in place?

What is the ideal age?

I've never needed to wether anything until this point.


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## Oat Bucket Farm (Jul 28, 2006)

I have banded and no they didn't scream and cry. I have heard that some do cry a bit at first but ours didn't. They can be more quiet and depressed the first day. Other times they just walk a little funny the first hour and then are off acting normal.

As to humane or inhumane, that has the potential to be a can of worms. People opinions can run quite strongly either way. I personally don't think it's inhumane. No more so than cutting them off or crushing the cords. Its just another one of those facts of famlife, like shots and stuff. Not pleasant but something that has to be done.


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## LaManchaPaul (May 21, 2008)

Goats are livestock. Good management programs must be in place to control the reproduction process. Like OatBucket said, 'has to be done.'


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

I understand it has to be done - but I want to do it in the least painful way - I just have not seen
And although they are livestock, I would personally not do anything less humane to one of the goats than I would do our dog, cat, etc. That is just me.
I want real opinions so I can decide what is best for our goat, and namely, what makes me feel better. . .lol.
I think cutting off and crushing seems just as bad. . . but since I've not seen any of those done or banding, I really have no idea.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

I've never had a buckling act in serious pain for a long time after banding. The worst I've had is for a few hours after banding they seem a little uncomfortable. Initially they sometimes walk a few steps, lay down, bleat a bit, then get up and walk carefully. Others don't mind at all. Initially, it seems to be uncomfortable for most. Placement of the band is important - make sure you get it down from the stomach wall a little ways and don't get the teats in the band either. 

I imagine that burdizzo would be the same, pain wise. No matter how you do it, castration isn't fun for anybody, really. 

I've seen goats be 'cut', and that is something I don't like... Maybe it was just because it was an older buckling - 3 months I think - but it was BLOODY, painful for days, and all around terrible. It wasn't my buckling but a friend of mine's... ick!


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## muleskinner2 (Oct 7, 2007)

I use the same bander on my goats, that I use on my dogs. In over forty years I have never had a problem.


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## LaManchaPaul (May 21, 2008)

I've never seen the crushing. I have worked with hogs where we cut them. That was not the way I'd want to do a goat. However, I've never seen a goat cut.

I band. Sometimes they cry for a few minutes, others for hours. 

As a man, NEITHER way is humane! So I can't say anything to ease your mind or mine. I just do it.


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## coonripper (Jan 8, 2009)

Made me walk a little funny just reading this post. I have banded goats sheep and cattle. They just wiggle a little Maybe let out a yip and go lay down for a little while. Then back to normal.


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## Tallabred (May 23, 2008)

I did mine for the first time last year. They did not care about the banding - just hated the tetnus shot!

They also had the benefit of being able to stay with their dams and sisters longer.


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## Laverne (May 25, 2008)

In the Uk it is against the law to castrate with the band method without analgesics over the age of 7 days. http://www.animalwelfareapproved.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/TAFS-3-Urinary-Calculi-in-Goats.pdf


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

> As a man, NEITHER way is humane! So I can't say anything to ease your mind or mine. I just do it.


lol

Laverne, I suppose know that, which I did, made me very leery of it; however, at this point, I suppose - at least for this guy - it will have to be the method.


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## LFRJ (Dec 1, 2006)

When I was three, I got vaccinated. I still have the proverbial round dime size scar on my shoulder that we all got back in the sixties. I'm sure it HURT and I did not like it. I don't remember it though, and am grateful I was put through it (though apparently not at the time). I imagine if I could ask our wether about his banding, he'd say the same.


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## mpete (Mar 4, 2008)

I raise/train pack wethers. I use the banding method when they are at least 4 months old. If I have the room, I wait longer. They are always current on their CD&T's. Like everyone else says, they seem uncomfortable for awhile, but then they are out playing again soon. Just make sure the placement is correct. I always pour rubbing alcohol around the testes to kill any bacteria that may cause an infection. Don't put any kind on cream because that can actually hold dirt near the banding site.


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## CheerfulMom4 (May 21, 2008)

I've banded with not problem, the most the goat protested was when he was being held still so I could place the band. He kind of shuffled off and was fine.

I know someone who just had hers done and he was cut by the vet. She said she wouldn't do it that way again. I guess it was pretty bad and the next day she the goat wasn't do very well.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

muleskinner2 said:


> I use the same bander on my goats, that I use on my dogs. In over forty years I have never had a problem.


You're lucky - dogs can reach their scrotums and I've heard horror stories about dogs evicerating themselves trying to remove the band. I would never ever ever ever use a bander on an animal that can reach their own testicles.


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## Eunice (Feb 9, 2005)

My neighbors with a herd of pet wethers didn't like the idea of banding and bought a burdizzo for the last two male goats they bought. One wether is fine and the other is a stinking buck with big horns because the cord wasn't crushed sufficiently on one side.


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## TroutRiver (Nov 26, 2010)

I second that banding seems like a better option than surgical castration by the vet (not to mention a lot cheaper). My friend over the summer had a 3 month old boer buck that he wanted to castrate, and was told that it was too late to band. I helped hold the goat down when the vet was castrating him. Even with a local anesthetic, he screamed a lot and it was clearly very painful, and there was a high risk of infection and it had to be watched very closely for several days afterwards. 

As for the other methods, clamping off the cords, etc, I don't see how they would be any better/less painful than banding. From what I hear, banding seems like the safest and easiest option.


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## Sherry in Iowa (Jan 10, 2010)

We usually sell off our little bucks before banding. But when we want or need to keep a whether back, we band. I always kind of wondered how much it hurt. I think it's like putting a rubber band on the end of your finger. Pretty soon you can't feel anything. I think the tug when they are falling off might be the most uncomfortable.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (May 25, 2010)

Personally, I prefer the burdizzo. I don't think it is more humane, neccessarily...I just like the fact that you do it and it's done. There's no waiting for the sack to shrivel and rot away--which looks horrid--and no risk for infection or anything of that nature. You only have to check a couple of times to make sure things are shrinking back there and that's it. I might band if I was selling a wether and it was leaving before I had an appropriate amount of time to evaluate if the procedure "took" (I have never had it NOT work, but better safe than sorry)...but for the most part I'd rather burdizzo. 

Recently, it has not been an issue because I have been leaving all buck kids intact and selling to the ethnic population them for meat--they want them unaltered.


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## Wolf Flower (Dec 21, 2005)

I banded a buckling for the first time last year. I was a bit concerned about it, but he didn't make a peep when it was done, and as soon as he got home, he was acting like nothing happened.


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## thaiblue12 (Feb 14, 2007)

Creamers have you been reading Fiasco Farms? 

I have a burdizzo, I cannot use it. It takes a hand strength I do not have. I can lift hay bales, feed etc but this is a different kind of strength. 
They also scream like you are killing them with the burdizzo. I practiced on a lady's goats not my own. I took the one who had broken her jaw first. Figured it would bother me less since he was such a booger. While his screaming was not personal like one of mine would have been it was still hard to hear, plus he screamed directly into my left ear lol. 

I band, my daughter gives them animal crackers, I band them and they do not notice. I give them kids pain reliever and only one was truly a drama queen about it and made me think he was dying, yes dying! The rest may lay around for a bit, lick the area, etc. 

While I would prefer to burdizzo but the amount of force needed to crush and the screaming makes me wonder which is less painful. I ended up banding that lady's goats


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## Rockytopsis (Dec 29, 2007)

Signs are right today and tomorrow for castrating, so we banded our boys today. We did the same last year and it worked out real good.
Like some have said "It has to be done" Banding is our prefered method.
Nancy


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

Same here thai I know I would not have the strength needed to crush with a burdizzo plus having to hold ...umm no
I banded one buckling that I kept back for a companion for buck, it went pretty easy, no infection, the sack shriveled up then was gone. Never saw any rotting, kid was depressed for about half a day then back to playing with his brother.
To crush or band? I think it will end up being a personal decision for you and what you think you can handle. I personally would never cut unless I am capable or set up to separate and monitor the incision for infection, higher probability for infection anytime there is a wound.
The hardest part of the banding was making sure it was placed correctly.


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## Pony (Jan 6, 2003)

Banding seems, to me, to be far more humane than crushing the whole works with the burdizzo. 

Srsly.

Bucklings I've had banded didn't mind it anywhere NEAR as much as they minded being disbudded. 

Never heard of banding dogs, though. Wish I'd have known about that one sooner, as I have two pups coming up on a year old who need to be castrated soon.


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

> Creamers have you been reading Fiasco Farms?


Yes - I had read it all before, but then read it again and felt terrible! lol!

As to dogs, not something I would recommend since they can reach the area, as mentioned above. . .could be a disaster!


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## Wolf Flower (Dec 21, 2005)

Creamers said:


> Yes - I had read it all before, but then read it again and felt terrible! lol!


I am not sure why Fias co Farm thinks banding is inhumane, especially after seeing my boy go through it without a hitch. They must have had a bad experience.


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## MrsSurplus (Mar 10, 2011)

I think the argument is that, with crushing or castrating, the pain is intense and then it's over. Obviously, there is the healing time particularly with castrating - but it sounds like (for a really rotten, but necesary procedure) crushing the cord is painful and then it's pretty much over with. Castration takes a while to heal (we cut our calves) and banding takes a while for the process. Crushing sounds like it is immediately painful but then you're done. I've never wethered a goat at all - so I'm just talking from my perspective from personally cutting pigs and the fact that my DH cuts our calves - I honestly think "banding" was developed, in part, because it's easier on US. Castration is bloody and acutely painful for the animal. It sounds like crushing the cord is, understandably, acutely painful. Banding, is less dramatic and WE are done with it. They are left to deal with the fall out - if you'll pardon the innuendo. When it comes time for us to deal with that with our goats I would like to use the burdizzo. Hubby will want to cut. We'll see what we decide to do


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## Rechellef (Oct 5, 2010)

I have had to band one and cut one lamb (crypto) and frankly the cut lamb acted like nothing happened as did the banded lamb. However, our banded goat was "off" for a couple of days, but back to normal before we knew it. Banding is easier to do and each animal responds differently to each procedure. Out vet says he offers to cut 1/2 a herd and band the other half and let the owner decide which is less stressful on the animal. Both are effective and both have something undesireable about them, but either way it does have to be done for good herd management. Personally, I will have my lambs and kids cut next season because it did seem to cause a little less stress for my animals.


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## Lada (Jun 7, 2008)

I have only banded once, and the little dude seriously did not act like anything was wrong. He didn't like being restrained, but other than that he didn't complain at all.


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## madness (Dec 6, 2006)

We've had the goats cut and banded. I didn't like either procedure! 

On advice from the woman we got our sheep from, we had them cut and took in our only goat to be wethered. The vet actually put them completely under and did the procedure so I'm sure that was the least painful _initial_ part. But by the time we goat them home, they all looked awful. The goat wouldn't eat for almost 2 days - even with painkillers. I thought he might actually die. One of the sheep busted his wound open and bled all over the place. It was impossible to keep the area cleaned. Bad, bad experience and absurdly expensive to boot.

So last year we got the elastrator and had a neighbor (who does show goats) demonstrate. The two boys we did WAILED and laid on their sides panting all day. The bands were in the right place. They walked funny and acted in real pain for over a week. It was probably 2 weeks before I think they were pain free. It was horrible! We did a third guy too - much younger, maybe a week old. He stood hunch backed for about 30 minutes and then was normal. So my take home message was "the younger the better".

I haven't done burdizzo, but I've also heard the stories of it not "taking". Other than that, it actually sounds somewhat better to me than banding.


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## thaiblue12 (Feb 14, 2007)

True the burdizzo may not take and by the time you find out you may have surprise kids  

Banding should not hurt so much and for so long afterward, even my drama queen was fine after 2-3 days. It is _suppose_ to cut off the circulation and _suppose_ to go numb after a few hours. But who knows if it does for all of them. 
All I know is despite be banded one buckling managed to impregnate two of my does! Now if it was a human with a band around his parts he would be rolling around on the ground screaming instead of using it, lol. 

Cutting seems to be the worst and most painful to me plus it leaves the area open for flies and infection. 

Pony banding dogs is considered animal cruelty in most areas. You can be fined and or charged with it. They are not livestock, it hurts them far worse and they can chew the area to pieces which is why you never heard of it being done. I pay my local shelter $50 to neuter my male dogs, and $25 for cats safer and far far more humane. To me if I had to, I would pay more to have it done safely and humanely.


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## 6e (Sep 10, 2005)

muleskinner2 said:


> I use the same bander on my goats, that I use on my dogs. In over forty years I have never had a problem.


You use a bander on dogs??? I've heard you can't band dogs because they'll lick it, chew it and just generally make a mess of things?


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## Creamers (Aug 3, 2010)

Banded him tonight - he didn't make a peep - but i did give banamine about 30 minutes prior - he just jumped down and went off on his merry way. . .


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## dieseldoctor (Aug 27, 2013)

Ok so I know this is an old thread..... And ok I know i'm an Idiot (one for buying animals without researching, and 2 for making every single mistake possible) 4 male pygmy goats,got horns and use of their reproductive organs, no shots etc etc..... I want to band them so before they start to stink (lol), I bought the tool and bands now I need a video or someone to instruct me on how it's done. I have the general Idea. I thought(?) testes just magically fell off after banding and I guess that's not the case. Please need help. Aw crap one more for the books....

Walt


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## o&itw (Dec 19, 2008)

LFRJ said:


> When I was three, I got vaccinated. I still have the proverbial round dime size scar on my shoulder that we all got back in the sixties. I'm sure it HURT and I did not like it. I don't remember it though, and am grateful I was put through it (though apparently not at the time). I imagine if I could ask our wether about his banding, he'd say the same.


That was a smallpox vaccination. They didn't hurt at all (they weren't an injection, they simply scratched the surface of the skin a bit and applied the vaccine). What was a pain, was that the thing then scabbed over and itched worse than poison ivy for a couple of weeks..... and one couln't scratch it. 

Buy the way shouln't it be termed "incaprine" ?


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## Otter (Jan 15, 2008)

[ame]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CWcrFwnTp7U[/ame]

There are many other ways to hold them. Honestly, my daughter holds a bottle, I sit on the floor behind and handle the banding and they never know what happened.

It takes a few weeks to fall off. It's not gross or anything. Honestly, I doubt it's painful, I think it just feels weird. When you were a kid did you ever put a rubber band around your finger? My cousin used to put one around his finger and then stick a pin in it when it got numb, to scare his little brother - at least till his mother caught him at it!!
That's not painful, and you've got a bone in your finger, so the circulation doesn't cut off as completely and so you keep sensation much longer. So actually I think it's the most humane way to castrate.


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## Doug Hodges (Jul 22, 2013)

I don't even like reading this thread. I decided to not wether anything. Im selling or eating most of the boys anyway and if they are like all other animals, they will grow better without it.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

@Doug, if you decide not to wether anything, You'll have to wean buck kids at 8 weeks old. Yes, they can breed their sisters and mothers as early as that. After weaning you'll need additional areas to house young bucklings that cannot be in with the doe herd, can't be in with their sisters, and will have the snot beat out of them (or just repeatedly raped) by their fathers if kept in the buck pen (at least that was my experience... ew). Wethering is NOT THAT BAD and is a huge management advantage IMO. Wethering young is FAR, FAR less stressful on them and chances are your buyers aren't all going to be looking for intact bucks. Depending on the season, intact bucks may be hard to sell and less desireable even at auctions. The older they get, the more they get dinged on the slaugter price at auction, if there isn't an ethnic holiday that prefers intact YOUNG bucklings (usually around 40lbs). 

Please, please, please do not sell every buckling as 'breeding quality'. Just because it has testes, does not mean it should use them. 99% of bucklings born ought to be wethered. It irks me when people say that every buckling they had born went to be a herdsire. Blegh.

Usually with dairies, I band them at a couple days of age and sell them for 25.00 on the bottle. If you don't want to bottle them, advertise after birth and have people pick them up and pull them right off the dam. If that is the only kid, you can start milking right then. If she has otehr kids and she can't hear her sold kid hollering, she won't even notice he's gone. They sell fast, aren't taking up space and milk, and I don't have to mess with them/vaccinate/cocci prevention/deworm (all added expenses).

Will they grow better? They *might* be bigger framed (our wethers don't grow slower for the growout period - 40-60lbs) but they *will* probably be leaner esp as they approach 6 months old or so. Usually the meat quality is lessened as well, the older they get. They just don't put fat on like wethers do, and fat is desireable for flavor. 

Just my .02.


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## Doug Hodges (Jul 22, 2013)

I like the sell quick and forget them idea. 

Thought I better edit. I have to get rid of them quick or my wife and kids might get attached and I will be stuck with them.


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

dieseldoctor said:


> Ok so I know this is an old thread..... And ok I know i'm an Idiot (one for buying animals without researching, and 2 for making every single mistake possible) 4 male pygmy goats,got horns and use of their reproductive organs, no shots etc etc..... I want to band them so before they start to stink (lol), I bought the tool and bands now I need a video or someone to instruct me on how it's done. I have the general Idea. I thought(?) testes just magically fell off after banding and I guess that's not the case. Please need help. Aw crap one more for the books....
> 
> Walt


How old are they?


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## Otter (Jan 15, 2008)

Don't worry Doug, I can do it for you. You can stay inside and not watch. A lot of guys have trouble with it :teehee:


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## cathleenc (Aug 16, 2007)

The worst part of banding - for me - is finding a shriveled up pair of hairy testicles somewhere in the barnyard later on. Always makes me jump and screech a bit!


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## Doug Hodges (Jul 22, 2013)

Otter said:


> Don't worry Doug, I can do it for you. You can stay inside and not watch. A lot of guys have trouble with it :teehee:


I may just take you up on that. Lol. I used to cut pigs but goats have personalities.


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## GreenMomma (Jun 3, 2008)

This year marked the first for us for both banding goats and castrating hogs. The banding process was simple and easy. Next time I'd like to give some sort of pain killer (I researched baby asprin this last time around, but I should have given it BEFORE we banded as he was very uncomfortable after and did not want to eat the little sweet treat with the asprin in it.) for banding. The discomfort seemed to go away within a few hours and other than walking a little funny for a day or 2, he was fine. Eating and drinking, playing, etc. 

Now the hog castrating was a whole different ball game. I got clammy and felt a little woozy watching that. But it was clean, nearly no blood at all and those hogs never missed a step. None of them seemed to notice at all, other than they didn't like being held. I can't see myself ever doing that on my own. The banding though, no big deal.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

I'd like to see young lambs or goat kids cut, maybe try a few. I haven't found anywhere to learn this locally though. I have seen the aftermath of cutting on an older buckling (I want to say he was 4-5 months old - definetely NOT in rut but fairly large) and a buckling that was done around 8 weeks old-ish? 

The one done older was in pain for at least a week. When I saw him it was about 3 days after he was done, and he looked horrible. He looked haunched and like your typical 'sick' goat. Wasn't eating well. I know and respect the owner and I *know* he wasn't so bad looking before he was castrated. 

The younger one I saw at least a week after he was done. He had about 1-2" of spermatic cord hanging out the bottom of his scrotum - it was huge, graunulated. Owner had to sit on him to clean it and remove puss and the scabs. Poor thing screamed whenever you touched his belly or his rear legs, and absolutely flipped a lid.  

But I still hear people who do it and swear by it. I'd have to see it to believe it.


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## Otter (Jan 15, 2008)

Doug Hodges said:


> I may just take you up on that. Lol. I used to cut pigs but goats have personalities.


Brilliant! I will band your goats forever if you'll cut my pigs when I have them! The squealing drills right through my brain.


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## Otter (Jan 15, 2008)

mygoat said:


> I'd like to see young lambs or goat kids cut, maybe try a few. I haven't found anywhere to learn this locally though. I have seen the aftermath of cutting on an older buckling (I want to say he was 4-5 months old - definetely NOT in rut but fairly large) and a buckling that was done around 8 weeks old-ish?
> 
> The one done older was in pain for at least a week. When I saw him it was about 3 days after he was done, and he looked horrible. He looked haunched and like your typical 'sick' goat. Wasn't eating well. I know and respect the owner and I *know* he wasn't so bad looking before he was castrated.
> 
> ...


Mygoats, you're looking at the difference between doing it _right_, with a properly restrained animal and a nice, new, surgical-sharp disposable scalpel and cutting in the right place and then breaking the cord properly
~ and sitting on the critter while you pull out your pocket knife and cut away. I have even seen vets do the second method and it makes me ill.

When you cut yourself with a scalpel - it doesn't hurt. Not until the edges of the cut start rubbing together. So when it's done right, with a surgically sharp blade and cut so the wound doesn't rub itself, it's not that terribly painful.
The trick being to do it right and fork out 79 cents for a new scalpel every time.

Even so, I still prefer banding. A whole lot less can go wrong, you don't need for a few animals to suffer while you learn the proper way to do it and nothing for flies to get in. And flies are terrible around here! One of the dogs got a little scrape the other day and I've been fighting flies off it. It's just a bitty thing, not serious enough for him to want to lick so I have to clean fly eggs off it <shudder> I'd rather not have to check goat testicles 2x a day for flies, my day is full enough.


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## CAjerseychick (Aug 11, 2013)

All I can say what I got from this thread is:
1) whatever you do, do it right- and YOUNG
and 
2) How bad is a Buck anyway (I will start a thread- we are looking at a registered, tested pregnant pygmy doe)


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## Awnry Abe (Mar 21, 2012)

cathleenc said:


> The worst part of banding - for me - is finding a shriveled up pair of hairy testicles somewhere in the barnyard later on. Always makes me jump and screech a bit!


Awe. They are better than a pair of fuzzy dice for your Buick!

Regardless of age, if you can get the whole set through the band, you can band them. If you have to forcefully get them through the band. Well. Take it from a guy. Ouch. Don't go there. 

As for the technique...This is all in text. A picture essay would be better. But here goes. 

Imagine that your hand and fingers are the band stretching tool. Take all five fingers/thumb and press them together at the tips. Your banding tool only has four digits, but your fingers should paint the mental picture. Now imagine stretching the band around the outside of your fingers and then stretching out the band using your finger tips. If you could do so, then you could just let the testacles slide into the band and rest in the palm of your hand. Then you could just let the band roll of your fingers and collapse around the base of the scrotum. This is basically what the banding tool does. It takes that ridiculously small rubber band and makes it so you can stretch it and place it over the scrotum. You may get the bander on upside down on occasion (the same as sliding the testacles through the back side of your hand and into your palm--an impossible move). This won't work, but you have a 50-50 shot of getting it right. With little kid goats, this is no big deal. Just slide the banding apparatus off and flip it over. With 250lb calves, who are kicking YOU in the manhood, and whose momma desires to plant you firmly into the truck fender, getting it wrong is not fun. Just imagine those prongs are your fingers, and you won't go wrong again. As for the proper way to handle the goat...They are just wee little kid goats. Just manhandle them anyway that gets you the angle you need and go at it. I prefer to keep plop them on their sides and hold them down so I can see and make sure I get both testacles. Keeping them on their feet is fine too, but you probably find that you are bending your back to look at the world upside down. 

I've never had an issue, or even a moment of wondering if it bothered them. Not once. And I have a dashboard full of them.


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I band mine but may try cutting next year for any bucklings I need done. 

Mygoat remind me in the spring but I have a friend about 20 miles from me that always cuts her bucklings that need wethering. She had me come up to watch this summer & it was a piece of cake(I just watched).
Hardly any blood, he barely cried & was nursing with in 15 minutes again.
She said she'd rather cut thatn the disbudding.
If I have any cut she's going to come & do mine/slash help/show me & your welcome to come up & watch. We use the same vet & the vet showed her how & she(vet( thinks it's the best way.


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## raccoon breath (Aug 5, 2010)

I band my bucks at 3 months. They are quiet afterward and layed around a couple days then business as usual. I've banded yearling bucks also. One guy's testicles were HUGE and I had trouble getting him to fit. I trimmed off his hair, then one testicle at a time through the stretched band..barely. After he was done, he acted like it was nothing (older ones of mine usually do). He got right up and went back to grazing. He was a black and white nubian. The dog found the petrified nut sack and I threatened family that I was going to make them coin purses out of the sack for xmas. lol


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## dieseldoctor (Aug 27, 2013)

Minelson said:


> How old are they?


about 31/2 months old. Deed will be done tomorrow. I'll keep you all posted Thanks for the help that video pretty much sealed it for me. Definatly will take longer to catch 2 of them them do it. Funny 2 come right up and want to be petted and 2 are skittish.

walt:grump:


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## Clovers_Clan (Jul 17, 2012)

What I really like about Burdizzo, is if I mess up, nobody has to suffer through the lengthy pain of an infection. And I don't have to call up a vet(I'm still not confident to handle some situations without an expert). 

I just have to do it over. 

I do them young, first/second week(I don't feed wethers grain and I've never had a single problem with UC). If it didn't take, I know it long before they're old enough to breed. 

I'm just speaking from the experience of having done eight over the past two years. Only missed one side on the second buck I did. Once you get the hang of it its quick and you can usually feel that the cord is severed or nearly so if you check it quickly before the swelling starts. 

Definatly a two person job. DH holds the goat. Cruel, yes, to make him do that job, I know. But I don't ask him to feed, water, milk, trim feet, deworm, do fencing or birth. And lets face it, if we ladies can handle birthing, knowing PERSONALLY how that feels... you gents should be able to handle assisting a castration merely imagining how it feels. :indif:


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