# Bucklings horns



## minimanchalover (Jan 11, 2014)

My buckling will be three months all in a few days and I noticed that his horns are cracked, both about a inch from his head. Is this normal? I was thinking maybe he cracked them on one of the bigger goats in the pen or maybe he got caught somewhere and cracked them? Does anyone have any idea what this could be the cause of? Do the horns shed?


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## Kepi (May 20, 2014)

All of my kids have 'cracked' or 'shaved' horns...generally from picking on the older goats or sorting out their position in the herd between themselves or rubbing against posts or walls. When I first saw a damaged horn I was worried about possible infection etc.But after checking around I'm quite calm about it now. As far as I understand goats don't shed their horns, not like their close relatives, deer, so I hope you weren't planning to show them. 

I also understand that the growing section of the horn is the closest part to the skull (duh, obviously!) so damage there can lead to a LOT of bleeding, and potentially infection issues. Unless you are talking HUGE amounts of bleeding when/if it happens then don't panic, an alum pencil will help with stemming the bloodflow, alternatively turmeric is also very good at stopping the bleeding and is also antiseptic. (Any yellow staining will eventually disappear).

So, in recap, just check again, is is cracking or chaffing? Are the cracks along the grain - from the head toward the tip of the horn, or across the horn? (obviously, across the horn means the kid is more likely to lose its horn, then that will be it, a unigoat! But nothing to be overly concerned about.

One of the purposes of the horns (apart from stripping saplings, banging against things and fighting, is to regulate the heat in the head (one of the reasons I will never remove horns from kids) and I am sure in their wild state they would crack, break or generally mess up their headgear, so unless it's in pain, or the horn is loose, then sit back, grab a coffee and think goaty things


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## minimanchalover (Jan 11, 2014)

Oh thank goodness! I'm new on the whole goat thing, I only have three and I treat them more like pets instead of livestock. And he, my buckling was the first kid I got this year and my first all around and he sure is pretty, I would hate if he was in pain because I chose to not remove his horn. Thank you for all the information! this is him


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## Kepi (May 20, 2014)

a cute little kid


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 31, 2013)

Does he get a loose mineral mix? Getting enough minerals will help his horns stay strong and not be as brittle. My buck had cracked peeling horns until I started him on loose minerals(not a block), and I could see the difference in his horn growth and appearance..


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## minimanchalover (Jan 11, 2014)

We feed them only goat pellets that we get at the local feed store, if we got the mineral mix, would it be okay if the does eat it also? He lives with my two other girls, he is fixed, because he is more of a pet. What would you reccamend?


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 31, 2013)

Yep, loose minerals should be given to all goats free choice, it keeps them healthy and productive. 

Cargill right now onx and calf manna are good examples, just avoid Purina because it's high salt and low copper. You want the mix to have 1500-2000 ppm copper, and to be low salt for best results. Right now I'm using a cattle mix and its working great!

Just remember to get the loose mix not the block, so they can eat more at a time  .


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## Kepi (May 20, 2014)

*Mineral mix*

I just buy a loose mix that is suitable for goats as well as other animals and leave it in a trough for them to eat as they wish, just the same way as I do with loose salt and baking soda, the gang initially got stuck in right away and I was surprised how much they actually ate (and a little worried) but I think once they had gotten their fill they simply top up as and when they feel like it.


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## minimanchalover (Jan 11, 2014)

I also heard people give them baking soda? What is baking soda for? And I'm heading to the feed store now, I think I'll ask about the cattle mix, that seems great!


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 31, 2013)

Baking soda is to keep their digestive system on track, but do NOT give it to males! It will cause urinary calculi.


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## minimanchalover (Jan 11, 2014)

Oh okay! Does that same thing happen when they eat alfalfa? Or does something else happens? Thank you for all the help, both of you!


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 31, 2013)

Males need a 2:1 calcium to phosphorus ratio. If the phosphorus is equal to or exceeds the calcium level, UC occurs. Alfalfa is high calcium, so it's actually good for males to ingest. Grass hay is high phosphorus, as well as grain. To keep it in balance, most people feed their males grass hay with alfalfa pellets and no grain. Males don't need much grain anyways, if at all. I use alfalfa pellets as a grain substitute...

So the point is, alfalfa is fine for males if fed in moderation. Don't overfeed it, or the high protein content will cause kidney problems.


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## Kepi (May 20, 2014)

Don't give the males baking soda? Interesting, my bucks run free with the girls, so they have access to the same forage and whatever I put in the trough. I've not had any problems with UC with any of them, my attitude is the guys need to regulate their acidity just as much as the girls do. 

Of course, the other thing that I have learned about goats is they don't conform to a standard  After reading plenty of books about goats do this, or goats won't do that or goats don't like.... I find that I can scratch them anywhere and they are happy, they do as they are told (I'm sure that it's just bored goats that misbehave) and they seem top thrive on whatever they find when they wander around the fields and forest.


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 31, 2013)

I heard that males need an acidic rumen and what not, to keep UC in check. Baking soda neutralizes the acid, which on turn causes problems...I guess your bucks aren't affected by it!


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## jdavenport (Jul 19, 2012)

Ammonium chloride is to raise acidity in urine.
Baking soda is to lower acidity in rumen.
We had a whole discussion about this on DGI, not too long ago, but I can't seem to find it.


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## janner (Nov 3, 2012)

minimanchalover said:


> My buckling will be three months all in a few days and I noticed that his horns are cracked, both about a inch from his head. Is this normal? I was thinking maybe he cracked them on one of the bigger goats in the pen or maybe he got caught somewhere and cracked them? Does anyone have any idea what this could be the cause of? Do the horns shed?


I had a problem with pieces of horn cracking off last year with my babies and it got better immediately with selenium/vit e gel. It was getting worse and worse even with loose minerals and kelp out and I could see the growth was normal in just a couple weeks with the gel. May not be your problem, but here in S. Oregon, selenium along with copper and cobalt can be a huge issue,
janice


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## mountaingoats12 (Dec 31, 2013)

I agree, try the loose minerals for a month or so and if his horns haven't improved you can give him a Bose shot (or the gel) and a copper bolus.


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## doublebowgoats (Mar 6, 2008)

I personally do not see a need to have baking soda out all the time. It is great for when a digestive issue occurs, but with a proper diet, there isn't a need for free choice baking soda. In fact, having baking soda out can cause the goats to not take in as much loose minerals as they need.


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