# Dehorning Aggressive 6 Month Doe



## Misti Sanders (Jul 30, 2019)

I am new to goats (but not livestock) and recently bought four Nubian doelings that are approximately 6 months old. They all have their horns that are approximately four inches tall. Although they had not been handled I can now feed them all by hand and scratch their withers. (This is only relevant because I intend to continue handling them and the thought crosses my mind that I may a future victim in this saga). 

My issue is that one of these does is extremely aggressive. It’s worse than a head slinging, “hey, move” type thing. She will actually butt her herd mates in the stomach and pick them up or knock them to the ground. I know that they are too big to be disbudded but is it possible to have them dehorned? How would this be done? I understand that it would not be pleasant for the goats but would it be life threatening? I am not opposed to having the whole group dehorned for safety reasons but there is one little doe in this group that I’m very fond of and it would hurt my feelings if she died. 

Thank you in advance for any information you can share. Please note that I don’t need a lecture on the morality of disbudding or dehorning. The breeder should have taken care of this when the goats were little.


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## Star Valley (Mar 23, 2019)

You could put bands (the ones used for castrations on cattle) at the base of the horns. Or ask your veterinarian about anything they could maybe do to dehorn them. But DO NOT use anesthesia for anything you do with them. It may seem more humane to use it but goats do not handle anesthesia well and can die if it is used on them. I’m not saying they will for sure die from it but it is very likely it could happen. I’m not trying to scare you, I just don’t want anything to go wrong that could have been prevented.


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## Misti Sanders (Jul 30, 2019)

Star Valley said:


> You could put bands (the ones used for castrations on cattle) at the base of the horns. Or ask your veterinarian about anything they could maybe do to dehorn them. But DO NOT use anesthesia for anything you do with them. It may seem more humane to use it but goats do not handle anesthesia well and can die if it is used on them. I'm not saying they will for sure die from it but it is very likely it could happen. I'm not trying to scare you, I just don't want anything to go wrong that could have been prevented.


Thank you for the advice. I do want to do what is best for them and not unnecessarily put them at risk. Having said that, I know that things can go poorly with livestock under the best of circumstances. You did not scare me but you did teach me something.


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## Doug (Jul 30, 2013)

If you dehorn, you dehorn them
All. At 6 months it’s a surgery. 

I have clipped and burned them with a dehorner. I’ve even done older does with scurs.


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## Tricia G (Jul 18, 2019)

Misti Sanders said:


> I am new to goats (but not livestock) and recently bought four Nubian doelings that are approximately 6 months old. They all have their horns that are approximately four inches tall. Although they had not been handled I can now feed them all by hand and scratch their withers. (This is only relevant because I intend to continue handling them and the thought crosses my mind that I may a future victim in this saga).
> 
> My issue is that one of these does is extremely aggressive. It's worse than a head slinging, "hey, move" type thing. She will actually butt her herd mates in the stomach and pick them up or knock them to the ground. I know that they are too big to be disbudded but is it possible to have them dehorned? How would this be done? I understand that it would not be pleasant for the goats but would it be life threatening? I am not opposed to having the whole group dehorned for safety reasons but there is one little doe in this group that I'm very fond of and it would hurt my feelings if she died.
> 
> Thank you in advance for any information you can share. Please note that I don't need a lecture on the morality of disbudding or dehorning. The breeder should have taken care of this when the goats were little.


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## Tricia G (Jul 18, 2019)

I would not ever ever again dehorn goats. Had to debud two of my goats twice, one month apart and it was terrible.(they grew back) So hard on them and so in pain I just cryed for days for them. They did not want anything to do with me for about two weeks they were scared I was the one that hurt them I think. God gave them horns for a reason and I will not take them away. They r supposed to bunt each other there goats. Hopefully they will not hurt u but I just won’t do that again on any of my goats.


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## Doug (Jul 30, 2013)

If you do it correctly when they are a few days old it doesn’t bother them and it’s much better for everyone. You never have to worry about them getting hung up, hurting someone, having one broke off, etc. The positives far outweigh the 10 seconds of pain. I’ve disbudded them one second and had them loving on me when I sat them down. I bottle feed every goat born on my place. They love me.


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## Misti Sanders (Jul 30, 2019)

Doug said:


> If you dehorn, you dehorn them
> All. At 6 months it's a surgery.
> 
> I have clipped and burned them with a dehorner. I've even done older does with scurs.


Doug, I was thinking that it would have to be all of them to keep things fair and square in the herd. Thank you for confirming.


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## Misti Sanders (Jul 30, 2019)

Tricia G said:


> I would not ever ever again dehorn goats. Had to debud two of my goats twice, one month apart and it was terrible.(they grew back) So hard on them and so in pain I just cryed for days for them. They did not want anything to do with me for about two weeks they were scared I was the one that hurt them I think. God gave them horns for a reason and I will not take them away. They r supposed to bunt each other there goats. Hopefully they will not hurt u but I just won't do that again on any of my goats.


I've lived with livestock for many years and I have no problem dehorning them if it makes life safer for all of them (and me). I didn't raise these goats. They came to me this way. God doesn't factor in to my livestock decisions; proactive safety measures do. Thank you for your input.


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## 7dsranch (Oct 25, 2012)

If your going to dehorn them. I like Doug disbud mine when their 3 days to a week old with little trama. Give them a bottle after, and your their best friend again. 
At your Does's ages I would call a vet to do it. They can do it much better, and safer. I did an older Doe once and it was not good. I think you will be much happier with the outcome going to a vet!


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## hwbgoats (May 3, 2019)

Fwiw. I love my animals, & most straddle the pet/livestock line; but life's too short for me to keep a bully. I've lost kids when a doe that I loved, but was pushy with other goats, snuck up on a pregnant doe & sucker butted her... If it were me, I'd move the pushy one along, I don't enjoy that personality type enough to deal with it, horns or no horns doesn't change the base temperament. If you intend on breeding her, temperament can be quite strongly inherited-- yet another thing to consider.


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## hwbgoats (May 3, 2019)

I know that wasn't quite what you were asking but thought I'd share my perspective on your situation. If she had genetics or conformation that I really wanted in my herd, still, I'd freshen her, keep the kids, & move her on.


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## Misti Sanders (Jul 30, 2019)

hwbgoats said:


> I know that wasn't quite what you were asking but thought I'd share my perspective on your situation. If she had genetics or conformation that I really wanted in my herd, still, I'd freshen her, keep the kids, & move her on.


I think you are exactly right. She needs to move along. She also happens to be the only goat that I haven't managed to gentle down. She will eat out of my hand but takes off the minute she sees me reaching for her collar. Since, I have the goats primarily to eat weeds around our horse pasture, I move them frequently and put them up in the barn each night. Who needs a bully that doesn't want to be caught? I will breed her this fall, hope for the best with the kids, and move her along. I firmly embrace your approach with the horses, I don't know why I was trying to force this goat to be what I wanted her to be. Thank you


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## Teresa Simpson (Jan 24, 2019)

Misti Sanders said:


> I am new to goats (but not livestock) and recently bought four Nubian doelings that are approximately 6 months old. They all have their horns that are approximately four inches tall. Although they had not been handled I can now feed them all by hand and scratch their withers. (This is only relevant because I intend to continue handling them and the thought crosses my mind that I may a future victim in this saga).
> 
> My issue is that one of these does is extremely aggressive. It's worse than a head slinging, "hey, move" type thing. She will actually butt her herd mates in the stomach and pick them up or knock them to the ground. I know that they are too big to be disbudded but is it possible to have them dehorned? How would this be done? I understand that it would not be pleasant for the goats but would it be life threatening? I am not opposed to having the whole group dehorned for safety reasons but there is one little doe in this group that I'm very fond of and it would hurt my feelings if she died.
> 
> Thank you in advance for any information you can share. Please note that I don't need a lecture on the morality of disbudding or dehorning. The breeder should have taken care of this when the goats were little.


butcher the bully. Passing her on may not be good. For animal or human. And the meat is good.


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## myruby55 (May 22, 2018)

I have three with horns and they do butt each other. I am thinking about cutting the tips. If you feel the horn at the top it is cooler than the rest of it. you can cut off a half inch I think to at least get the points off. Maybe even grind them flat.


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## CBPitts (Jan 24, 2020)

I’ve had excellent luck banding horns. It’s way safer and more humane than dehorning. They do get very sensitive and sore in the days around the horns coming off but it’s better than having to dress and bandage big holes in their heads for weeks. 

My vet was the one that told me to band the horns. I’ve had several that I banded and 1 that I had the vet dehorn. I’ll never dehorn again. Ever. 

For the record, every goat born here is disbudded between 5-10 days and they never hold a grudge. Half of mine (if not all, depending on the year) are dam raised and they all still think people are great. Even 5 minutes after disbudding they want to jump in our laps.


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## Angelia Gregg (Sep 8, 2019)

Totally agree, the big bull banders work the best. Watch for flies if its warm though.


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