# How far away to keep a buck



## Candy (Jun 4, 2009)

Right now our buck is to, WAY, to close to the house. He really isn't that close but I can smell him up here. I would like to move him further down but that would be a little closer to my milker. How far do I need him from her? 
Thanks,
Bernice I


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## Anita Martin (Dec 26, 2007)

As long as the buck can't physically touch the doe, and is not near the milk room, that should probably be far enough. I kept our buck in a stall in the barn with an attached outdoor paddock all last breeding season and during the winter. I did not notice any bucky flavor to the milk at all. The bucks stall was three stalls down from the milking stall, and they could touch him through the fence if they wanted to....but they never wanted to. Can't blame the prissy little ladies.


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## dragonlair (Mar 24, 2009)

My buck stays in the barn with all the other goats all year round. My goat barn/dog kennel is a 1 car garage, so its fairly small. The buck has a pen that shares a full length slotted wooden wall with the milkers so they can touch noses if the girls so desire. If they all stand on hind legs they can rub heads over the top of the wall. I milk in that small barn also and have never had bucky odor/taste to the milk and I drink it raw. They all share a common fence in their outside area too, so the buck and does can always "visit" thru the fence.


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## Sondra (Oct 25, 2007)

I have a drive way between my bucks and does but a few years ago they shared the same fence line and never had a bucky taste to milk.


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## buckrun (Mar 7, 2008)

I pasture breed and milk the does that are with the buck.
If you are asking this because of milk flavor- there is no concern. 
Bucks do not affect the flavor of milk. 
Lee


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## catdance62 (Mar 2, 2009)

Our bucks and their companion wethers are about 1 acre away from our does and milk shed, and about 2 acres away from the house.


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## Candy (Jun 4, 2009)

Ok, this is all good news. I had read/heard to keep them away because they cause the milk to taste bad. Now I won't worry about it so much. I know last year when we bred, we didn't have any bad tasting milk but this new doe I am milking had an off taste when we first got her and we thought it was the buck. We did move him. The milk is a little better but I felt it was due to stress that is tasted bad in the first place. This milk is just not the least bit sweet and it isn't as enjoyable to drink but I do. Can't wait till next year when we have more to choose from. 
Thank you all for answering.


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## helmstead (Jun 19, 2009)

I keep my milkers in the same pen with the bucks as they're being bred back, and have never noticed an off taste to my milk. The only time it gets 'goatie' is when they get into some browse.


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