Do You Disbud Your Kids?

[Valais]

I will not put judgement down on either side, but I was curious what people here think about disbudding kids. I know for some, it is an issue of safety, and first and foremost, that is a priority. While for others, it is an issue of animal welfare, and removing a prominent part of a creature.

Do you disbud your kids? Why do you feel it is necessary?

Do you NOT disbud your kids? Why do you choose not to disbud?

Additionally, for those who do disbud, how do you deal with scur growth? Do you consider dehorning an option?

 

[OneFineAcre]

We disbud our goats. Why? Because we show ours in ADGA sanctioned shows and they cannot have horns.
We've never had a major problem with scurs.

 

[Valais]

May I follow up on your answer, OneFineAcre? I was aware of ADGA/4H requirements to have dairy goats disbudded or dehorned. I imagine this is in part due to the safety concern of traditionally being around the public / kids, but do you think it is a fair requirement, and one that is necessary?

 

[Hens and Roos]

We disbud/dehorn for safety and for our kids to be able to show the dairy goats. Given that we are handling the goats daily and that the goats are so quick with movement, someone or another goat could be seriously injured. This past winter we had a friends wether stay with us(he was orphaned and it was a cold winter), he had horns and there were several times my DS(10) got bumped in the head by the goat-likely no injuries.

I think everyone has to decide what is best for their situation.

 

[Valais]

Is it common to have some form of scur growth after the disbudding procedure?

 

[newbiekat]

We didn't disbud our first year and we regret it. My girls are the friendliest things ever, so they're always up in your business. We chose to disbud because there have been a few times when we happened to be standing next to one of our horned girls and she didn't like the fly on her back. Well, wih a flip of her head, she caught my leg and left a pretty good size bruise. I know she didn't mean it, and I think that's most of the issue, they don't realize that they can hurt with them, and I'd rather not run that chance again especially if a little one was in the pen with them.

It is a little discomfort for the goat at the time of,but I think it's harder on us than on the goat lol... Because afterwards we still feel their pain and they hop around like its no big deal. So we don't mind going thru 20 sec of pain to prevent future potential incidents. That's our story

 

[Valais]

A couple good reads on both sides of the fence..

Against: http://ourmountainhearth.com/why-we-dont-dehorn-our-goats/
For: https://fiascofarm.com/goats/disbudding.htm

 

[OneFineAcre]

May I follow up on your answer, OneFineAcre? I was aware of ADGA/4H requirements to have dairy goats disbudded or dehorned. I imagine this is in part due to the safety concern of traditionally being around the public / kids, but do you think it is a fair requirement, and one that is necessary?

I do not know why it is required, and not knowing why it would be difficult to determine if it is a fair or necessary requirement.

 

[OneFineAcre]

Is it common to have some form of scur growth after the disbudding procedure?

We have not had a big problem with scurs.

 

[Sweetened]

I do not disbud. Would i for health reasons? Yes, i would dehorn for health reasons as well.

Flora and gladys, of whom have very large horns, are very space aware. They are sisters and lay with eachother with horns close to eyes and noses and such and, while dangerous, goats have evolved this way. People allow their children to play with plastic and wooden swords, the danger is equally there.

I have owned polled and disbudded goats as well. I have found them equally dangerous with horns than without. You just have damage option: goring/puncturing or blunt force trauma. I had a polled doe kill a kid out of the blue by sheer pummling force where as my horned girls that have a baby thats not theres get too close will flip kids rather than trample them to death.

I have also found my horned goats do better in the hot summer days. Their horns are blazingly warm as they exaust heat. My polled or dehorned goats lay panting in the fields or under trees.

I dont wrong people for doing it, but after aquiring our buck, sven, and having to deal with his potentially life threatening scurrs with saws or clips, i wouldnt risk that again.