# How old is too old to wether a buck?



## jessearl (Aug 30, 2006)

We're just getting into goats and currently have 4 does and 4 young bucks around 5 months old.

Is it too old to turn the bucks into wethers?


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## farmmom (Jan 4, 2009)

You can wether at any age, the age may determine the method needed though. If he's too big to be banded, which I would expect them to be at 5 months, they would need to be cut, which I would not attempt on my own with that old of kid.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Exactly what Farmmom said....banded young, cut older. Goat meat sure is tasty, I'd be putting the boys in my freezer, but that's me.


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## Geiss (Apr 15, 2010)

The buck I gave away was castrated via burdizzo about five years old. It was done by a vet under general and local anaesthetic(the law here). I gave him away shortly after and haven't seen him yet, but from what I've been told his equipment (and his manly behaviour) has shrunk away.

This is not always fool-proof though, sometimes it just doesn't take. I assume it is like disbudding, you have to know what you're doing if it is going to turn out successfully.


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## Lada (Jun 7, 2008)

You can still band if they will fit into the band. I did my guy at 3 months and didn't have any problem. But, I don't know how much they grow from 3-5 months.


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## chamoisee (May 15, 2005)

You can still wether them. I would select the best buck for breeding and eat the others, but I'm sort of hardnosed about the number of goats I am willing to feed over the winter.


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## topside1 (Sep 23, 2005)

Your not a hardnose, your are simply smart...Poor planning can get expensive.


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## wintrrwolf (Sep 29, 2009)

my nigi buck when I got him at 6 months his would still have fit in a band, but around 10 months he really matured and if I wasn't keeping him for breeding he would have to visit the vet for castration now. So some of it depends on the breed / size. IF you arent planning on butchering them from what I read the longer they can mature before banding the more it decreases the chances of them developing UC...
I think why some band around 2-3 months is because little bucks can accidentally impregnate little doe's if not kept separated, right?


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## BackfourtyMI. (Sep 3, 2007)

I usually Band at about 4-6 weeks of age if I'm going to band any bucklings. I don't think that add's to UC as I've had an intact male with UC before.

I think at 5 months I would feel too bad banding my Nigies as there scrotum is pretty big by then. I would have to have the vet cut them like some of the other have said.

Or decide which one you want for your stud & put the rest in the freezer?


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