First for me

CAjerseychick · #21 03/23/14, 11:58 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by crazy4equines

When I have had to have my vet dehorn and castrate with sedation it would only cost me $10 per goat, which is not too terrible. I am a pretty frugal person but when it comes to my animals I will spend more money on them than myself.

Wow I want your vet. It cost me $75 do do one scur (that was growing too close to an eye) and antibiotics and eye drops....

Didnt trust myself to do it, its a good milking doe, and it was too close to her eye!
I want Doug for a neighbor too!

Tango · #22 03/23/14, 12:44 PM

I can't say I can afford a vet but my girls came with little horn buds and I don't have the stomach to do it myself. After reading someone's experience with a horned goat and a hornless goat's udder

and realizing if for any reason down the road I can no longer keep them, they'll not be excluded from good homes that won't consider a horned goat, I am going to have to take my girls to a vet. BUT if any of you in this area can help me out I would be much obliged

crazy4equines · #23 03/23/14, 12:53 PM

I don't think this is an argument and you are right every one is entitled to their opinion. I have always had a mixture of horned and un horned goats, personally I like horned better but my fence likes disbudded. I am very lucky to have an awesome vet and an awesome 4-H Kid to do all of that work otherwise I would love to have a neighbor like Doug. I personally just don't like doing that deed myself.

PricklyThistle · #24 03/23/14, 03:16 PM

I'll admit to being too much a softy when I look at that wee head to do the thing myself and there's no such thing as an affordable vet visit where I am so I now have a kid with little horns growing. I might be real sorry. She's a bold personality, just like her mother.

CraterCove · #25 03/23/14, 03:39 PM

I love horns. I find them exceptionally beautiful--- but all of my dairy goats are disbudded. My own personal philosophy doesn't allow me to let someone else do it. I didn't think this was an issue about disbudding at all, myself.

I objected to someone trying to say that if one couldn't pay for a vet they don't have the money to have goats. It's something I find highly objectionable.

Beyond that, all I had to say was good on Doug for being such a kind and giving person.

dozedotz · #26 03/23/14, 03:49 PM

Obviously we all agree that Doug is a good guy! None of us want to encourage him to be anything else...as long as he is taking precautions to be sure that he is not risking his beloved goat herd to folks who just may not appreciate or even understand that there are lots of diseases for which there is no turning back...I'm thinking of CL specifically, but there are others you may think of first...I would hate to see Doug's kindness result in unintended consequences for the goats he has worked so hard to save AND his really expensive and beautiful lines he has acquired! Just wanted to make sure that you all know that NO ONE is down on Doug (he is too UP to be put down)...

Doug Hodges · #27 03/23/14, 05:09 PM

Thanks everyone. I don't think I did anything out of the ordinary. It's just how I was raised. Helping and giving to others is a blessing to them as well as to ourselves. Id like all of you as a neighbor.

Does anyone want to come take care of my little farm while we all go spend a few days in Wyoming in June? Lol

MDKatie · #28 03/23/14, 05:53 PM

I don't really think disbudding 2 baby goats on his front porch is very risky, I think it was a very nice thing to do! The odds of a kid having CL AND having an open abscess are very slim, and I'm sure Doug is smart enough to turn those go ats away if he sees them show up with draining abscesses.

And we all need to remember that goats are livestock. While some treat them as pets and spend lots of money on them, some choose to keep in mind that they are livestock, and therefore choose not to spend more money than that animal is worth. It doesn't mean we don't love our goats, it just means we have to make decisions about what we can do ourselves and call the vet only when absolutely necessary.

crazy4equines · #29 03/23/14, 06:28 PM

I agree i try not to use a vet unless really needed that is why i use a 4h kid, he is still cheaper then my vet,even tho my vet is very reasonable for goats but when you have a few to do it does add up. We can all agree that we all love our goats and will do what is needed to provide for them.

TRAILRIDER · #30 03/25/14, 10:20 AM

I own a disbudding iron, but haven't used it yet. I'm sure I will in the future, for goats I intend to keep. In the past my vet has disbudded them and given them their Cd &T shots and done the banding. She charged half nothing (she helped a lot of kids in 4H). I was new to goats and wanted to see it done and get some instruction before doing my own. So, if you have a person near by to help you great, if you have a vet that is reasonable nearby great too, if you are competent and confident great too. Just remember to vaccinate your does a month before their due date or vaccinate your kids when you disbud them.

As far as disbudding or dehorning older kids. I say do 'em really young or not at all. I've seen two month or three month old goats done....yuck! What a horrible mess. And so much stress.

The goat owners Doug helped out are very lucky to now have a goat mentor. Having someone to call with a question or concern is so great. I have had all kinds of animals but I am glad I know a few people who are really experienced that I can call. And of course I've learned ALOT right here on HT.

Doug Hodges · #31 03/25/14, 11:43 AM

She sent pictures today. She's very happy. This is what I cut off. I cut a little at a time.

First for me-imageuploadedbyhomesteading-today1395765761.811150.jpg

And her goats

First for me-imageuploadedbyhomesteading-today1395765779.340188.jpg

First for me-imageuploadedbyhomesteading-today1395765787.750155.jpg

TeenyTinyFarm · #32 03/25/14, 07:23 PM

Wow Doug! I have to say, you have some big, bold cahoona's there to do a job like that! Well done! Now when do you want to come to NC to take care of mine? LOL!

Aintlifegrand · #33 03/25/14, 07:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by wintrrwolf

I think Doug did a very nice thing, it would have been helpful if I had had someone like that around here. Since he did em on the front porch I think to keep his goats safe since they are outback that was smart. But I would add maybe next time have them sign a release of "something" so you can't be sued for "something" if something goes wrong.
My vet here bores the horn out it is a very bloody procedure and not something that I would pay to have done.
Since I don't want my dairy goats to have horns the 75-90 dollars is a very small investment.
My homesteading interest lies in the fact in 20 yrs when I get to retire my ssi income will be around 800, with supplement peers/401k of about 200 a month, I need my homesteading set up well enough to supplement this income. 20 yrs goes a lot faster after 40 lol.

You are very smart..it does go by really fast and you are doing the right thing getting ready now..I wished I had thought like that 20 years ago...lol

Frosted Mini's · #34 03/26/14, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Doug Hodges

Thanks everyone. I don't think I did anything out of the ordinary. It's just how I was raised. Helping and giving to others is a blessing to them as well as to ourselves. Id like all of you as a neighbor.

Does anyone want to come take care of my little farm while we all go spend a few days in Wyoming in June? Lol

Only if you stop in Idaho and do the same. Don't have plans to go anywhere, but i can make them!

TRAILRIDER · #35 03/27/14, 11:50 AM

they look great!

Actually they look just like my two day old kids after the vet has done them.

1sttimemom · #36 03/27/14, 05:22 PM

Very nice of you and perhaps you made a lifelong friend of this young lady.

Disbudding irons are costly. If she is just starting she may not be able to afford it for a couple little goat. I can understand not affording a vet for everything too. Here sometimes the vet fee just to drive out would be $50, but my vet is nice and if already in the area will split to call fee with the other party. But I do sometimes have to weigh the worth of the animal vs the vet charges. I do a lot of our own vet work but I am also a nurse and that helps.