# Pros and Cons of Dehorning Goats



## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

What are y'alls opinions on dehorning goats? Why? Why not? I've got this coming up soon, and would like to know the pros and cons.

Thanks!!


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## HazyDay (Feb 20, 2007)

Pro's 
goats kept in a small barn or with others are alot safer then with horns.
Horns don't really keep them any saver. Try better fences to keep out unwanted aniamls.
You can find better homes for them. 
They can be shown!
(I can go on if you want!) 

Cons

They get hurt.
If you pull on them they could break off. 
Goats just don't look right with horns (Well I think so.)
They can grow weird and grow into the head.
CHILDREN CAN'T BE LEFT ALONE WITH A HORNED GOAT.
Bucks can use horns on you!
(And once agian I can go on!!!!!!!)


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

This usually ends up as a conflict of opinions, regardless here's mine in a nutshell. I have two dozen goats, some with horns and some without. Hornless is the only way to go, I can't remember the number of times a horn tip has dug into my leg, arm or wherever. What's next an eye while youâre pouring their grain? Not a good feeling I'm sure. The only reason some of mine are horned is to keep the traditional Boer look alive....No more brother, horn have no place on my homestead.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

topside1 said:


> This usually ends up as a conflict of opinions, regardless here's mine in a nutshell. I have two dozen goats, some with horns and some without. Hornless is the only way to go, I can't remember the number of times a horn tip has dug into my leg, arm or wherever. What's next an eye while youâre pouring their grain? Not a good feeling I'm sure. The only reason some of mine are horned is to keep the traditional Boer look alive....No more brother, horn have no place on my homestead.


And he said it!  If you want horns, thats fine. I don't and *everything* gets disbudded here, Boer or dairy.


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## Qvrfullmidwife (Jan 10, 2004)

Well, we dehorn, but we did have one buck that we bought that developed scurs.

Very nice buck, flew him in from a breeder across the country, very excited abouthis bloodlines.

He was apparently caught in the fence by the scur when he was going after some fallen food. 

And dogs got him and literally ripped his head off.

So, one pro of dehorning (making sure that you dehorn WELL) is so that you never have to comfort your 14 year old daughter when she discovers the buck that she loved and cared for and was so excited to see the kids from with his head gone.


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## DixyDoodle (Nov 15, 2005)

Is it true that if you dehorn, then a goat cannot be shown? Ahhhh, I wanted to get goats, not just for the children and for milking, but also with the possibility of showing. So that means I must keep the horns?

Yesterday, I saw a billy goat, not sure what kind he was but he was HUGE! I would guess well over a hundred pounds? Whoa! He reminded me of those wild goats, he had the most immense horns I had ever seen, a good 4 inches wide. I always thought goat horns were mostly round, but his were somewhat flattened, and had the coolest-looking ridges on them.

I wouldn't want to be on the receiving end of them, though! :hobbyhors 

DD


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## HazyDay (Feb 20, 2007)

DixyDoodle said:


> Is it true that if you dehorn, then a goat cannot be shown? Ahhhh, I wanted to get goats, not just for the children and for milking, but also with the possibility of showing. So that means I must keep the horns?



No, I think you missread it. Dairy goats with horns can't be shown. Boer I think can be shown with or with out. Pygmys like boers can have horns or not. 

We have 4 boers for meat and a few kid sales and we disbud all of them, even if they are to go into the meat pot. Just in case some one falls in love with them and doesn't want them to become meat.


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## moonspinner (Jul 2, 2002)

For my purposes, there is really no pro to horned goats.


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## lyceum (Oct 20, 2006)

All the big time Boer breeders I know meave horns on. They will not disbud a goat and would rather sell a polled goat than keep it. We have left horns on meat bucks and they get stuck in the cattle panels at least once a day. We have one panel on the buck pen that is all tore up because of one buck in particular. We have also had a doe with horns gore a doe in the mouth with the horns. The doe that was injured did not have horns. Horns on boers can be a good thing. We have had some stubborn girls that would not lead without the use of horns and collar. I say disbud, it only takes a few seconds and after it is over they don't remember what happened. Our Feb kids already have hair growing back where they were disbudded at.

Carisa


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## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

Mother nature put them there who am I to remove them.
I have never had any trouble with horns, all of my 50 have horns. All ages and gender. My bucks would not dare use those horns at me or any on or thing, Just like my large dog would not dare use those teeth.
How can you say they don't look right with out them , they are supposed to have them. Like saying you don't look right with hair on your head just because you are going bald.
Steff
But that is only my opinion.


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## Qvrfullmidwife (Jan 10, 2004)

Mother nature also didnt give them tetanus vaccines nor trim their feet, but I do those things as well in the interest of the health and wellbeing of my livestock. :shrug:


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## chris30523 (Jun 11, 2005)

I have not had much of an opinion on this till today.I have boers and people don't want to buy the ones without horns.Boers are not an aggressive breed and on the does they curve down beside their head.Buttt...I have just returned from getting my tetanus shot from an over protective mom. I was cleaning crusted baby poo off one of her new bucklings and without warning she got me on the upswing in the forearm with the point on one horn it was intentional. Somewhat dull horns hurt when they tear meat! I can't blame her she is a good mom and thought I shouldn't be hurting her baby.From now on the does I am going to keep will be dehorned!!


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

I say go to the search near the top of the page. Type in Why Disbud? You will get so many posts it will blow your mind. Many a argument has been had on this topic. I myself believe the animal should be left as is. 

This is :bdh: 

Basically it depends on what you will be doing with them.

If you are keeping dairy goats to show them you must disbud. If not you just wish to milk them it's a personal preference. In fact hornless goats are probably preferred. This is due to the fact that you are working very close to them every day.

If you wish to sell as meat animals. The horned goat is preferred. As well as intact males. Some may buy them dehorned or wethered but some wont. So IMHO it's best to go with what everyone wants. With this you generally don't handle the goats on a daily basis.

As for the getting stuck/dangerous/not safe. Well if you keep stock you should design the husbandry to suit the animals you have. I keep with horns. But I use electric 7 strand to keep them in. If I used all common field fence I might have a problem.

I hope this helps with your decision.


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

Qvrfullmidwife said:


> Mother nature also didnt give them tetanus vaccines nor trim their feet, but I do those things as well in the interest of the health and wellbeing of my livestock. :shrug:


Stop the flaming. I'm sure the above person was just giving their opinion. If you wish to flame keep it to your self. By the way I agree with them. :stirpot:


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## FarmGoddess (Sep 21, 2006)

I hate disbudding my babies but it has to be done.

Horns can get caught in fences and in brush and the goat can hurt themselves badly trying to get loose.

I have one buck who was suppose to have been disbudded as a baby. Apparently it didn't take as he now has a rack with a 32 inch span.

This a 300 pound Saanan buck. He could cause severe damage if he wanted to, so far, he's been fine, however he has a tendency to get aggressive around strange males of any species during rutting season.

Make that another for dehorning.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

stanb999 said:


> Stop the flaming. I'm sure the above person was just giving their opinion. If you wish to flame keep it to your self. By the way I agree with them. :stirpot:


If that was a flame....I must be ablaze 24/7 and didn't know it. 

Rest assured their are die-hards in both camps. If you don't know if you want horns or not....try them both ways. :shrug: Then you know which way works for you.
Here, for marketing, ease of handling, safety(the goats and mine), ease of feeding....its hornless and it will stay that way. I disbudded over 200 kids already this year. Its extremely worth it to me.


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## DixyDoodle (Nov 15, 2005)

My main concern is that my children will be in the company of the goats sometimes, and I don't want my kids to lose an eye, whether by accident or not. And that was a good point: maybe even the goats will injure each other accidentally.

I just wasn't sure if disbudding was the better way or not. I mean, once the horns are gone, that's it, you can't bring them back. On the other hand, if you want to show, the horns should be removed while the goat is young; I just wanted to be clear on that.

BTW, can you show Nigerian Dwarfs with horns as well as the Pygmies? It's the Nigies I would probably be getting.....although going by popular opinion around here, I will probably be going the hornless route anyhow, but just curious.

DD


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## HazyDay (Feb 20, 2007)

DixyDoodle said:


> BTW, can you show Nigerian Dwarfs with horns as well as the Pygmies? It's the Nigies I would probably be getting.....although going by popular opinion around here, I will probably be going the hornless route anyhow, but just curious.


I wasn't sure thats why I diddn't say anything about them. For what I know and im good with dairy and meat goats but Im told. Pigymies are meat/both so horns or not. dwarfs (or little goats!!! hahaha) are counted as a dairy goat so horns have to come off. :shrug:


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## goatkid (Nov 20, 2005)

I disbud all my goats. I've had horned goats and don't like the problems associated with horns. They get stuck in fences, injure each other and I really don't want to get a horn in my face. Besides that, I show them and you can't show dairy breeds with horns. Nigerian Dwarves are dairy goats and therefore must not have horns if they are shown. I disbud my Boers as well and have never had a problem selling them without horns.


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Wow, thanks for all the replies.

Part of me wants to be natural and since God gave them horns, they should keep them... but then again, God made them to roam around free and climb rocks, not hang around in my pasture. And my little girls (ages 5 and 3) LOVE to go out there and "take care of" the baby goats.... so I guess the dehorning will go as scheduled. I asked my dh about it, (he knows a lot of things but not much about animals) and he said, "Well if you're going to castrate them, how is dehorning them any worse???!!"

heheheheh, he has a point there!!

Thanks again for all your responses.


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## Qvrfullmidwife (Jan 10, 2004)

I do not believe that it is flaming to point out that the "mother nature" argument generally tends to be somewhat disingenuous. There are many things that we do as owners of livestock that run contrary to "mother nature"...in fact owning livestock in general could be said to run contrary to 'mother nature'. If you want horns, fine, just recognize that to truly apply 'mother nature' logic, there are many more things in addition to disbudding that you will be abstaining from. 

And if that is flaming, boy you better find some thicker skin before those horns getcha but good!


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## HilltopDaisy (Feb 26, 2003)

I am completely in favor of disbudding. All my goats are hornless.


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## Jcran (Jan 4, 2006)

About half my boers have horns; half don't, just by nature of buying from folks who keep horns and disbudding my own...I've got a lot of fullblood doelings this time around and am questioning whether or not to disbud since they will be sold, and it DOES appear that many boer folks like horns...hmmm, I'd better sleep on it since I've got to decide in the next day or so.


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## Goatsandsheep (Jun 7, 2006)

My kids show boer meat goats and horns are not allow at any market show. Boer must have horn for breed show. I don't think you can find a horned weather boer around here. G&S


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## Sher (May 10, 2002)

steff bugielski said:


> Mother nature put them there who am I to remove them.
> I have never had any trouble with horns, all of my 50 have horns. All ages and gender. My bucks would not dare use those horns at me or any on or thing, Just like my large dog would not dare use those teeth.
> How can you say they don't look right with out them , they are supposed to have them. Like saying you don't look right with hair on your head just because you are going bald.
> Steff
> But that is only my opinion.



Pretty much agree with Steff.

My dexters are horned and my goats are horned. None of them are for the purpose of cuddling face to face with adults or children. Everyone has a job to do here. And drawing oohs and aahs from people isn't one of them. 

Five of these kids are going to a 4-H kid to show..they are going with their horns...their horns are staying on their head. He's never been around goats. He has been warned about the horns..he knows without being told that those horns are now at the pointy stand up stage. His folks and him want them anyway.

This kid has also been raised around horses..behind, under and over them. He routinely is around the stud. He also has been around his dad's cattle..if he doesn't listen..he may get hurt. Even if he does listen..he may get hurt. That's life and livestock.

Our livestock have horns. We prefer not to sell to people who are going to take them off. Sometimes we get disappointed..sometimes we don't.

I don't know what the big deal is..and I sure don't know why it causes the nasties to appear. If you're playing by someone elses rules..ie..shows etc..you'll have to dehorn. If not..don't. If you want a cuddly live stuffed animal to play with for six months or so...hey, ya take your chances if they still have horns..so take em off. If you are milking and the horns are getting in the way..hey..take em off. 

When we started out with goats..we too had heads in fences..duh..we said..and put up two electric wires. No more heads in fences. And praise to God .. we have never had anyone "gutted" by a horned goat. I mean, if that animal is that dominant..as to rip another open with its horns..hey..you got a problem that dehorning is not going to fix. Thats an attitude problem. A dehorned animal with an attitude problem is just as dangerous.

So make your decision either way. Just don't think that dehorning makes them safe for baby..cause there's alot more to an animal than its horns .. or the lack of them.

Oh, and alot of people do try to keep their goats as close to the way they would be if not owned..and they seem to be okay with that..lol..the goats that is..It's all just one big choice of choices..no need for anything but opinion..lol .. and most..including this one are not worth the 2 cents. :dance:


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## moonspinner (Jul 2, 2002)

I don't think there is one right way across the board. It all depends on what you do with your goats. As was mentioned, dairy show goats must be hornless. Some people have experienced horns getting caught in fencing or getting butted/nicked, or the occasional bad accident. The few times I've had horns I got some pretty good wounds just by leaning down when the head came up. So for me disbudding works. For others who are fine with them, that works for them
Also count me in for not interpeting the post as flameing. I merely saw it as an opinion.


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

The reason I said it was flaming is because She was stating that it is a "necessary" part of keeping a goat. NOT
In fact I believe it is marginally necessary. Only so if you wish to show the animals. In front of a bunch of "old mother Hens". To me it's removing the most majestic part of the goat. The natural part.


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## moonspinner (Jul 2, 2002)

Hmm, not seeing where the poster stated or implied "necessary." Showing in front of "old mother hens?" Maybe it's the shows I've attended, but haven't spotted many of that type.


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## ergoman (May 16, 2005)

I disbud to meet specific fair guidlines, some let you show meat class with horns, but castrated. I dont do it unless I have to at the request of the customer. My breeding doe kids keep thier horns along with any possible herd sires. Boers are easy keepers compared to some. The few spanish crosses I have arent to be trusted. The few goats I get that were disbudded before I got them are harrassed by all and fight for last place in the herd. Billies during the rut are a little more frisky, they have to know who the boss is without question.


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## Nellie (Oct 18, 2006)

Again, thank you for all your replies. 

I did not ask for a debate, I just wanted the pros and cons, so that I could make this decision myself. I am now done reading this thread. If I'm missing some important information on this topic that has not already been brought up, please pm me. 

Thank you.


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## white eagle (Feb 8, 2007)

Horns on a goat is pretty but like us we have dairy goats and horns can be dangerous plus if have childern it can be dangerous to them also. I right now have a little wether put up in a stall due to I have a pygmy buck that has horns and he attacked my little wether and almost broke his jaw an fracture the little wether legs. My pygmy buck horns will be coming off soon I hope if not he will be sold after I see what the does have. 

Just my 2 cents.. There is the good an bad on horns..


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## Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians (May 6, 2002)

Showing in front of "old mother hens?" Maybe it's the shows I've attended, but haven't spotted many of that type.
...................

I think most have a change of heart when they meet us in person, see our farms...that are mostly ran on the backs of women with their children...or come to a show and see the real quality of the stock. Alot of men have a problem with strong independant women...and boy Stan not just me, but if you knew Quiverfull the flamer  you would hang your head in shame  Mom of 10 of the most beautiful, smart and well mannered homeschooled kids you would ever meet, they run a LaMancha herd you would drool over. Her oldest is not only my webmistress, but good friend who milks for me at shows, and has nubians.

Just goes to show how none of us know each other....besides the stories about me are soo much more interesting than I am in real life  Vicki


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## stanb999 (Jan 30, 2005)

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians said:


> Showing in front of "old mother hens?" Maybe it's the shows I've attended, but haven't spotted many of that type.
> ...................
> 
> I think most have a change of heart when they meet us in person, see our farms...that are mostly ran on the backs of women with their children...or come to a show and see the real quality of the stock. Alot of men have a problem with strong independant women...and boy Stan not just me, but if you knew Quiverfull the flamer  you would hang your head in shame  Mom of 10 of the most beautiful, smart and well mannered homeschooled kids you would ever meet, they run a LaMancha herd you would drool over. Her oldest is not only my webmistress, but good friend who milks for me at shows, and has nubians.
> ...


Thats very true. I'm sure we are all a lot nicer in person. I was just trying to be over sensitive. So the business of flaming wouldn't begin.


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## Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians (May 6, 2002)

See we all knew you were really the big strong sensitive type  Vicki


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