# castrating adult goats



## DRL (Mar 12, 2006)

I have a male pigmy goat that is about 2 1/2 years old, and I was wondering if you can use a band for castrating a buck that old, and if so, how long should I wait to butcher that goat, I dont want him to taste as bad as he smells in the fall!


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## Bearfootfarm (Jul 13, 2006)

Unless you have a LARGE bander, you probably wont get it on him. And I've always heard its best to do them surgically after a few months old.


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## Freeholder (Jun 19, 2004)

I tried to do a yearling buck (mostly Oberhasli, not a Pygmy) with the elastrator, and found that he was too big. He's going to have to go to the vet to be done surgically. I don't want him for eating, I plan to use him for packing and pulling a cart (which is why I waited to castrate). You could butcher your buck intact, now, while he's not in rut, and use the meat in a highly spiced sausage.

Kathleen


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## Spinner (Jul 19, 2003)

Around here a lot of people just put a thick rubber band on to mimic banding. I've seen them do it to horses too. They say it works, but I'd be afraid of infection.


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## chamoisee (May 15, 2005)

Take him to the sale barn and use the money to get a wether or two.


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## mammawof3 (Jan 31, 2004)

IMO that is just way too old to "band"-very inhumane! As long as it would take for ALL that tissue to dry up :nono: I saw someone do an older buck w/rubberband once-poor thing couldn"t walk w/out pain-nearly died from infection. If you must castrate-use a different method. I would either butcher him now intact-or go w/the sale him idea-and buy a wether to butcher.


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## DQ (Aug 4, 2006)

I'm in a similiar spot. I want to keep my buck but need those gonads gone so he doesn't make anymore little critters accidentally. I am calling the vet today to ask about having it taken care of. I'll post back with what his estimate is for getting it done. I know some people would do it themselves but I am not comfortable trying with my level of experience. I refuse to take him to the sale barn, he came from a very poor situation and I would rather butcher him then wonder if he was once again being neglected.


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## Sweet Goats (Nov 30, 2005)

Go to the VET. Eat a PYGMY?


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## Loda Farm (Mar 5, 2006)

A friend of mine is castrating her 2 year old pygmy buck surgically, and was given a $40.00 estimate from our vet. 

laura


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## Wendy (May 10, 2002)

I also reccomend the vet. You will not get his testicles through a band at that age. At least not any Pygmy buck I have seen.



> Eat a PYGMY?


Pygmy goats are actually a small meat breed. They do have a purpose besides being cute.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

About 8 years ago when we were just getting our first goats, someone gave us a great deal if we took their whole small herd of pygmy's. They were just brusheaters so they didn't care what we did with them. There were three bucks(two about four years old, and one yearling), and two does. We only wanted one unrelated buck and the two does. So we planned on eating the three bucks.
I'm not reccomending it, but we did band those mature boys. We squeezed one testicle at a time through the bands and they fit just fine. Then we kept the area sprayed with an antibacterial spray until it was atrophied and fell off. Then we fattened them for a few weeks and butchered them. We made sausage out of all the meat. It was very good.
Knowing what I do now, I would have saved myself the trouble and just butchered them intact and made sausage. But that was then.


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## Gailann Schrader (May 10, 2002)

Would a testicle clamp work?

Like a burdizzo that crushes the cords?

I'm thinking Vet as well... They may be too large.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Seriously, I wouldn't castrate him at all. Its not breeding season now. Give him a scrub, butcher him, do a clean job of it and it will be good. A quick death and clean handling of the meat is the key to tasty meat. At his age and since he is a buck, I would probably keep the hind legs as roasts and grind everything else into spicey sausage.


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## Gailann Schrader (May 10, 2002)

Oh, sorry. I agree Ozark. I thought they wanted to use him as a cart goat.

Sorry.

Clean him up, give him a Dawn bath (it cuts the goat "grease") and butcher.


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## bergy5 (Nov 10, 2003)

Yes Gailann a clamp will work fine. We have clamped a few year old bucks & have had no problems. We have a larger set of banders that are supposed to do a 400lb calf, but have not used them on the goats yet.


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## Freeholder (Jun 19, 2004)

Gailann Schrader said:


> Oh, sorry. I agree Ozark. I thought they wanted to use him as a cart goat.
> 
> Sorry.
> 
> Clean him up, give him a Dawn bath (it cuts the goat "grease") and butcher.


No, that was me! I have a 3/4 Ober X 3/16 Boer yearling buck that I've saved to become a cart and pack goat. The vet quoted $41 for surgical castration for him.

Kathleen


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## Gailann Schrader (May 10, 2002)

$41 sounds fairly reasonable to me...

I loved my Obers. The breed didn't like my farm though... I miss them...

Sounds like he'll be a great cart goat!

Obers are hocky anyway...

Better for pulling!


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