My sweet Nubian/Boar cross buckling must be castrated... I'm just having a tough time deciding how to go about this and I need opinions of those who are experienced with this... I've been there, done that, actually... It was just a heck of a lot easier when I hadn't bottle fed them and they didn't follow me like a dog. My older boys were taken in to the vet to be castrated, which involved them being put under. That's the part that makes me nervous seeing as some goats have issues with anesthesia (like any animal, of course) I will not band him... I have no reason other than I just don't like the idea of it at all and the fact that the vet made it sound like some horrific act. My last option is to use a Burdizzo or allow my friend who is experienced with it to do it. I like the idea of it because it's bloodless and free of use of anesthesia. No matter what method I wind up using, he'll be getting a tetanus shot before... Oh, and if this makes a difference, he's 15 weeks old. Opinions? Experience? Also, I promise to stop with all the questions soon!
I think Burdizzo would be best all around -especially since you have someone that has experience with it. At 15 weeks (and being a large breed) banding would be excessively cruel. Burdizzo is fast, bloodless, can be done at nearly any age, is the most humane method, and IMO leaves a more "natural" look (sure, the bucks may tease them about their diminutive bits, but they'll get more love from you without all the stinkiness! )
We have banded ours, it didnt seem that bad. Isnt burdizzo when you just pinch off the sperm cord? If it is, I have heard it can go wrong and not work all the way which would make the meat tough and the buck will get all stinky. You could go all Basque on them and just bite them off.
Well personally I band, I've had an adult I took in to be done at the vets, and it wasn't to bad. I've never used the Burdizzo on a goat, but had my steer done that way and it was not pleasant. I've banded up to 6 months with no probs at all, it's fast, easy, and bloodless. Having the vet do it wasn't so bad either, but I also worry about them not waking up (and I've heard of people having it done without putting them under, but I don't think I could do that). I've also heard they can grow back after the burdizzo method, and that's not really something I'd want to have to deal with "again". Sorry probably not much help, good luck! I'm about to band one myself, I'd much rather be doing that then disbudding or tattooing (atleast I'm halfway there with that).
Oh, for goodness sakes....I just don't understand the problem people have with banding. I know it SOUNDS horrible. But....if you have ever seen a calf or buckling banded and then watched it for the next day or so...you would be over it in a jiffy. We raise beef cattle and meat goats. We band ALL our bull calves and bucklings. It is instantaneous to do - very, very easy. The calves/ bucklings NEVER have a problem with it. They do not limp. They do not go off feed. They do not lay around more then normal.....NOTHING. They are EXACTLY the same after banding as they were before, jumping, leaping and head butting each other. I have never noticed any negative effect. Calves are banded the day they are born. Bucklings are banded at 3 months of age. I spend a LOT of time with my animals and that is my personal experience. I can't imagine the other methods of castration that I know cause pain and swelling are more humane then that.
I personally have no experience with banding. I used the vet for castrating my bucks. I had the vet use gas anesthesia, and we kept them "light" under anesthesia. Not in an extremely deep sleep. As soon as the proceedure was done, we would give them oxegen and they would wake right up in a matter of 1-2 minutes. That way I didn't have to wait around worrying about how they will do with the anesthesia. I had great success this way. Good luck with your decision, I know it's hard to make the choice because you feel responsible.
my little buckling was banded and i didn't find it horrible at all. done with in about 30 secs. seems alot easier than a trip to the vet. he walked a little funny at first but was back to himself in no time. it did get infected last week but nothing a round of drugs and iodine washes didn't take care of. i don't think that happens very often. now the shriveled sac is gone and that's that.