Mixing horns with no horn

christij · #1 05/12/08, 07:07 AM

I looking at purchasing 2 horned BoerXs - very docile. I will have them seperated for sometime from my dairy does as one has two bucklings and I don't want my over eager pyrsX around them.
My bunch of diary does (3) are laid back as well but I'm still nervous about having horned goats!
I guess I am just wanting to hear that others have mixed the two...

Scrounger · #2 05/12/08, 08:05 AM

I have some of both. Never had a bit of problem. I have one hornless Boer Cross (I named her "Showgirl" - because she's TOPLESS...) who is always trying to head butt somebody. She uses her "horns" more then any goat I've even had.

chris30523 · #3 05/12/08, 08:43 AM

I have mixed also.No problems so far. My "hornless" goats do more head butting than the horned also.

Shazza · #4 05/12/08, 08:52 AM

The trouble with horned and no-horns is the damage that is done to udders by the horned goats. I have poll goats in with de horned goats and not a problem...but full horns is a no no here...too much damage.

tioga12 · #5 05/12/08, 10:32 AM

I've had horned dairy goats that used their horns on the udders of the others. (It was mainly the herd queen that did it.) They had an unfair advantage at the food and shelter. (Others were afraid to go into the goat shed to get out of the rain or cold because the horned ones would stand guard at the door.)

You could always give it a try and see what happens, but the dynamics usually change when you throw horns into the picture. I sold my 2 horned does and won't have them again.

hoggie · #6 05/12/08, 11:20 AM

All of mine have horns except one - admittedly she is at the bottom of the pecking order, but there is no "bullying" as such. And I reckon that "someone" is always going to be at the bottom. We make sure she gets her fair share of food and things like hay and water there is always more than one supply of anyway. But I do have VERY nice natured goats anyway.

hoggie

christij · #7 05/12/08, 04:58 PM

At the main goat barn (an old horse barn) there are stalls so I could seperate them at feeding time and they can bunk seperate if need be. I was hoping for hornless boerxs but I know those are few and far between so I thought I would get some laid back ones and keep back girls if they have them and dehorn to solve a problem if one should arise.

CountryHaven · #8 05/12/08, 05:28 PM

I've just never had a problem with the mix, I have both, but I have heard of folks who did.

Goat Servant · #9 05/13/08, 12:12 AM

We have Boers in all their glory (horns) and a Nubian who was disbudded. SHE is Herd Queen and uses her hard head whenever it suits her!!

ozark_jewels · #10 05/13/08, 09:28 AM

Christie, I was in your shoes about 8 years ago when I first got Boers......Mixing the horned Boers with disbudded Dairy does *did not* work. The dairy does got the short end of the stick and I saw too many "whammings" of my pregnant dairy does. I disbudded all my doelings as they came along and sent the horned boers down the road. I will never buy or own a horned Boer again unless its by accedent.
It would not be a problem if the whole herd was horned...but that will never happen either!LOL!
My advice is to not mix the two if you can help it. Cassie is very mild-mannered......not sure about the other two.
I have a starter package of young weanable Boer stock if your interested. Two doelings and a percentage buckling. They were spoken for from birth but now the buyer did not come through. They were all three disbudded.
Just an idea, not pushing you to buy.

**mygoat** · #11 05/13/08, 10:22 AM

I have a mix of both. I don't have too many problems, but I do have some complaints.

My herd queen, a miniature fully horned, does guard the barn doors and will keep others from entering or exiting. However, my barn is huge and overcrowding is not an issue so I don't have too many problems with that. She bullies her way to the best feed and best grain - though I have multiple grain and hay feeders so they all get their share. My horned does do NOT go out of their way to injure others, though if another doesn't move fast enough they will horn them. I've never had an injury in the herd and I've never been hurt by horned individuals.

As for fencing, I do have feild fencing but my horned ladies have all learned to remove their own heads from the fence when stuck.

tmfinley · #12 05/13/08, 10:36 AM

I have one horned Boer/SpanishX with my dairy girls and will never have another horned goat here. She hasn't done any damage yet but I see the potential for problems if she were just a bit more forceful. After she has babies she is out of here.

Tiffany

Goat Servant · #13 05/13/08, 05:26 PM

Something else to consider is if the horns are curved back in relation with the curve of the face. If they are more upwards there might be more potential for injury, along with how they are placed on the head. The closer they are, the easier it is to trap a leg.

RiverPines · #14 05/13/08, 05:36 PM

I have always had both. Once in awhile I have had probs with a horned goat taking advantage of having horns and all probs have been easily solved with two long pieces of garden hose taped to the end of the horns. Long enough so they cant injure with those tips. Heck the goats use the hoses to get those hard to reach itches. LOL

For heads getting stuck in the fence, one piece of garden hose 'across' both horns eliminates that prob too.

Carolyn · #15 05/13/08, 07:59 PM

I mixed them also, but never ever again!! Not only udders, but the horns have the little "extra" to cause abortions, but the worst thing that happened to me was one of the horned goats would catch others legs inbetween the horns at the knee joint and TWIST, not a nice thing!! Some of the horned goats I had were fine, others had the "attitude" with other animals. Personally, I will not have a horned goat. Carolyn