# Removing Scent Glands?



## DixyDoodle (Nov 15, 2005)

What the heck? I was reading an article about goats, namely the techniques for castrating goats for pets. And there was mention of removing some scent glands that are located near the horns? What the heck is THAT? I've never heard that one before. 

No, I'm not going to do that, BTW. Just thought it was a strange thing to do. I thought that bucks lost their smell---if they ever had one---so long as they are done early (before a rut). Maybe doing a mature buck is different? 

My wether smells like a doe. Don't know how old he was when he was done, though.

Has anyone ever heard of that? I

Here's the article section in question:



> Dairy goats and pygmy bucks are castrated in the first few weeks; Angoras are castrated later, after they have attained good horn growth. In males to be kept as pets, castration should be delayed to allow maximal urethral development, which reduces the likelihood of urolithiasis ( Urolithiasis in Ruminants). To improve their desirability as pets, these goats also should have the scent glands, located caudomedially to the horn base, removed along with the horns.


I guess that these glands are removed when dehorning? I'm not sure, you wouldn't see these glands while disbudding, right? And dehorning is more invasive, so are they referring to if you are dehorning instead?


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## Minelson (Oct 16, 2007)

I do remember reading something about that...but I can't remember where. Something about doing it at the same time they are dis-budded....I didn't think you had to worry about smell as long as they were wethers.


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## Caprice Acres (Mar 6, 2005)

A buck castrated will lose his smell no matter the age - once it wears off, that is! I was thinking about trying to descent a few of my buck kids this year - but then I realized, how will it help? The smell doesn't bother me - I still love on my boys in rut. Also, my does share a fenceline with my bucks and I rely on their fragrances to attract my does in heat, so I can haul them to be bred or put them in with the desired buck.


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## Oldntimes (Nov 26, 2006)

I may be wrong but I believe the scent glads are right behind the Horn buds, so you can burn them as well, when disbudding to get rid of them. Please chime in anyone if this info is incorrect.


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## DixyDoodle (Nov 15, 2005)

Yes, they are right behind the horns, from what I gather from another site. I will repost the quote I put somewhere else if I can find it. 

I just couldn't understand why bother descenting a goat if you are castrating it? Once he stops going into rut, the smell would leave anyhow, right? This is how I read the article though, "you should castrate a goat and descent to make them more attractive as a pet". I don't get that. Now maybe if someone wanted to just descent a buck, but like someone said, you want him to smell to attract/interest the ladies. 

My one buck is really rank come spring, but right now he's not in rut and he hardly smells at all. He's enjoying the human attention he gets right now, as he's got a more "pettable" quality.


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## DixyDoodle (Nov 15, 2005)

Here's that link (scroll down that page to see illustration):

http://www.goatwisdom.com/ch1baby_care/dehorning.html


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## themamahen (Jun 26, 2005)

I just read about this in "Raising milk goats successfully" gail luttman. it says goats have to scent glands 1 on top of their head starting where the horn buds are in the shape of a V and the others on the back of the legs. she says if you do remove or burn the glands on the head the does will not mind at all because he still has his back scent glands and it helps with the odor. wish someone would chime in that has a buck that has been "Descented" so to speak.


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## susanne (Nov 4, 2004)

before you go and try to remove the scent gland , remember that the buck uses the smell to bring the doe in heat and/or stand for him


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