Castrating

The Old Fashioned Farmers way is SURE to get the job done!

Banding (another form of castrating)

Disbudding (removing of horns)

~I'll take photos next disbudding session~ 2011

Banding of Horns (removing of horns)

I strongly do not recommend this!

Ear Tagging

~ Scrapie's Tags we have 2 ID #'s our current one in use is WAKRC we no longer use WA3084

Decide where you are going to put the tag, as close to the middle and as high up as you can I've found works the best, watch out for veins. Put your finger on the spot you are going to tag so when you put the pliers there you get the same spot. Be quick and firm. The kid will jump (startled) and scream briefly, but it's like getting your ears pierced, it's just the initial poke and its over.

Some people alcohol the area front and back, then tag, then apply iodine. There's nothing wrong with this and it's definitely not a bad idea and will not hurt at all! I however, do neither, I just tag and move on to the next one.

Here is a picture of kids all grown up (yearlings) that I sold to Laura of Hope Diversified, the middle doe is the kid in the pictures above, Chelan. She still has her tag and it's off out of the way, Curry in front has hers a bit lower than I prefer but it's obviously hasn't caused her any issues to date and Twilight in the bag would be a tad better if over to the right a bit more, looks like its close to her eye. The more tags you do the better you get, of course you will get some kids that squirm at just the wrong moment, or something just might not work with the pliers, you just never know what'll happen! Don't panic, out of all the abuse we do to our goats, I think this one is over the fastest!

Tattoos

Our herd prefix is KRCSB with both ABGA/USBGA formerly we were KRC with USBGA but changed to make them the same.

~under construction~

First you have to apply a castrating band to the base of the horn, down as far below the base as you can get it, then duct tape the band in place and wrap the horn because they will try to rub it off and will successfully snap the band. This process takes a month or more and they are in pain constantly especially when bumped or pushed around. They cannot fight when this is in process because their head hurts so bad. Both these does ended up with scurs anyway, it was a horrible experience for all of us involved.

Notice on the left the green rubber band is all that is left once the horn falls off

Lulu (left) horns go floppy as the tissue slowly dies and cannot support them anymore. This stage is painful as the horns bounce around when they walk, eat, etc. and the girls would cry out in pain

~I'll take photos next banding session~ 2011

this photo to left of Rajah's jewels shows them getting hard and starting the shriveling process. They will fall off soon.

1/2/2011

Step 1: pull scrotum sack up (only skin!) and with sharp knife quickly slice off tip of sack do NOT cut testes below, just skin! Kid will just "baa" for split second if you are QUICK. 

Step 2: With clean fingers pull testes out of sack firmly gently and push scrotum sack down at same time.

Step 3: Separate with your fingers the two testes. Pick first one - there is a thin membrane that encloses the testes carefully use your knife to gently cut this membrane. Once cut push membrane down

Step 4: Once testes is free of membrane grab firm hold of testes as far down as you can, until you feel a string

Step 5: get a good grip - this is important if you want it to be as painless as possible - JERK it out FAST and HARD. One jerk or you've caused unecessary pain!

Step 6: One testes down, repeat procedure for #2. There will be minimal blood

Step 7: Grab and pull

Step 8: Both testes are gone - open up scrotum sack

Step 9: Fill sack completely with iodine - let kid up and he is now a wether. Sack may drain a bit, but will heal up and wether will look like he still has his jewels a bit, like a male dog. I think it's great for self esteem! They are up and moving around in 30 minutes or less. No screaming or bawling at all that I've seen