Horns or no horns?????

[CaGoatLady]

That breeder must have had a bad experience burning a goat's horns off and done it too much and caused brain damage, but short of that, it surely does not make them stupid.

 

[whatknott]

No, NO! think of the positive - you won't have to dehorn as many goats!!

 

[the4heathernsmom]

No absolutely not it will not make your goats stupid. Look up fiasco farms on google and go to their website they have distinct instructions and photos and they have mini's. I have had both. Not having horns saves sooooo much trouble getting in the fence, aggressive issues, accidents, etc. but they are harder to catch and hold. Having horns you have to be prepared for it because they will get stuck and fight and have accidents and occasionally you will get scratches and nicks from them on accident. On the bucks I have never had one without horns strictly for handling issues I just can't or couldn't control them big boys without a handle. It may be different there for you with minis. Before you did any disbudding (removing horns) I would read up and talk to people so you know what you are doing because it does need to be done correctly. And if you want disbudded goats don't try to do it to an adult it is way painfull and a major risk. If you do the babies when you first see the buds they holler a little and don't like being restrained but immediately after they are fine as soon as you let them go. It does not fry their brain unless you are cruel and hold the iron on too long or something weird like that. And burning it leaves a nice clean cauterized spot that heals real quickly and you have no fly issues. I suggest you read up and do as much research as you can before you decide. Many people have pros and cons of each.

 

[helmstead]

No, it won't make them stupid. No, it doesn't change the shape if their heads (other than they won't have horns LOL). As far as it hurting...the iron is so hot that it sears the nerves - so while I'm sure it hurts to some degree...as soon as you release them they butt mother's udder to nurse so it must not be all that terrible.

Having horned goats is a personal preference. We like their horns, and have not had any goats intentionally injure anyone - but they HAVE trashed our fences. For this reason, we have dehorned all of our horned goats. We also dehorn all of our show quality goats, as horns are not allowed in the ring.

To clarify the polled issue: a polled goat has a 1 in 4 chance of being a hermaphrodite. If you breed two polled goats together, you obviously increase this risk. It is best to breed horned to polled, and accept the 50% chance of polled rather than to breed polled to polled and increase the chance of sterile offspring.

 

[ksalvagno]

Personally, I prefer no horns. There are too many things that can happen. See this thread on BYC - https://www.backyardchickens.com/forum/viewtopic.php?id=245806

While this may be an isolated case, I sure don't want to take the chance. Also they can get their horns caught in a fence and different places.

 

[RlgNorth]

I perfer mine also not to have horns. But I have taken care of a couple that had horns and they were friendly enouph to where the horns didn't make any differance, in fact it was kindof nice being able to just grab the horn and deal with the goat that way. I think there are pros and cons to either.

 

[chickenmum]

All our goats are disbudded.(Except for when we borrow a buck for breeding or a meat goat once in a while) I like them disbudded. It's nice not to have to worry about being poked in the eye or leg or arm...
And our goats are so beautiful.
Goats are stupid anyway. JK!

My sis says they are too smart for their own good. We have a Nubian doe named Falonda, and she is the escape artist that can undo latches so we have to secure them with something. She also gives wonderful kisses (with her lips AND toungue). And it has happened before where sis has called "Falonda!" And only Falonda puts her head up from the hay. "Hope!" Up looks Hope.
So, disbudding does not make them stupid.

 

[cluckychick]

We have both. I have 2 does that were dehorned and one that isn't. I have two nigi bucks with their horns. I've never had an issue but all my goats are as gentle as kitties.

I help out at a sale barn on the weekends and a couple weeks ago we had a dehorned buck come in for sale and he reared up and head butted one of the workers and knocked the wind out of him and laid him out flat.

With or without it's the owners decision. Either can be aggressive and both can be gentle. We acquired ours while still babies and both bucks I bottle feed so they are really gentle.

 

[the4heathernsmom]

Oh wow we have one too she is a mess !!!! she has horns but she can unlatch a gate quick as you turn your head smart as the dickens. She also figured out she can jump off a side of the tree and over the six foot fence needless to say the tree came down. They are smart very very smart. Oh goat stories I could tell. lol !!!

 

[Chicken Rustler]

I think the breeder that told you this must have had the iron held on thier head too long.
Yes I am sure it does hurt some. Before I decided to wear gloves while disbudding I had a couple of mishaps where the kid would squirm and I ended up with the iron on the side of my hand. Now that will make the big alligator tears run down the inside of yer pant legs.

WHAT EVER YOU DO NEVER EVER EVER allow anybody to CUT the horns off even a vet. I know several people who have had this done and every one of them said never again, it causes so much trouble and extra care during healing.
Even full size horns can be safely removed with out cutting and very little problems. I have done it and it works great. You use the bands like for castrating , but you do still need an iron to burn the base when the horn somes off.
If you have not disbudded before have a good goat keeper show ya how and watch a few times. If they put the kid in a box or if they don't use ice find someone else.