Banding the boys alone

KrisD · #1 04/30/12, 01:18 PM

I can't figure out how to hold the boys and band them by myself. I can hold or band but I can't seem to do both. With hubs gone until July, I need to get these boys done by myself. I figured out how to disbud by myself and draw blood but I can't control the legs and the bander and roll the bands on. Anyone I it alone? Have any ideas or tips?

Thanks in advance

Steph in MT · #2 04/30/12, 01:22 PM

I've done it once by myself. Held the little guy sitting up in my lap and just waited till he stopped squirming and settled down before applying the band- it actually went easier than I thought it would.

Good luck!

Goat Servant · #3 04/30/12, 01:23 PM

Bring em on down I'll help! Or we could meet halfway say in parking lot MtVernon feed store. We can have a bucket for onlookers to toss their change into while they listen to them scream.

KrisD · #4 04/30/12, 01:39 PM

Nancy you're a killer! I'm laughing so hard I'm crying! I would probably end up banned from my favorite feed store! Lol

BTW the goat sausage was the best sausage I've ever had! I made ricotta yesterday and mixed it with the sausage and stuffed in bell peppers MMMM! The tiny bit left over went with my fried eggs this morning. I am now keeping a buckling for the freezer, see what you made me do.

Goat Servant · #5 04/30/12, 08:21 PM

Now why did you have to go make me hungry!?
Glad you liked the hot Italian sausage, Del Fox Meats does a great job.
If you need help banding just give me a holler.

Zanzabeez ND · #6 04/30/12, 10:26 PM

KrisD,

I have to band all of my little guys alone. I am not sure which breed you are working with, I am working with ND. This should work with a larger breed buckling too if you can still fit him in your lap.

The way I do it is tip the buckling up on his rump in my lap with his back resting against my left arm and body. Think the position that a lot of people shear sheep in. I put the band over the testicles using my right hand on the bander. I then use my left hand to "count to two" and hold the testicles to keep them from slipping back up. I double check myself to be sure that the band is not too close to the teats and then release. The hardest part for me is getting it to roll it off of the prongs quickly. I then tell the little guy sorry and prep for the screaming.

LOL at Nancy! Yup, that would draw a crowd for sure....

Tracy

KrisD · #7 04/30/12, 11:05 PM

Yeah I've always had a heck of a time getting the stupid band to roll off. There has to be an easier way to get it to slide off. I will try the kid laying back on his behind method.

Cliff · #8 05/01/12, 06:43 AM

With both of you standing hold goat snug between your legs with him facing backwards. Bend over and band.

Good luck

Lol and someone would probably call the police on you guys for animal abuse if you did the parking lot thing - people are so out of touch with reality these days.
I can hear it now "They are putting rubber bands around those goats balls!!!! Someone call the cops!"

Backfourty,MI. · #9 05/01/12, 07:07 AM

I have done it once by myself, it was a Nigerian dwarf & I stood him on top of one of our rabbit grow out pen's & held his testicles with one hand making sure both were down in the sack & with the elastrator in the other hand slipped the band over the sack & then could use the other hand to roll the band off.

I'd rather have hubby help me though because they are not all going to be so well behaved when I need them to be.

whodunit · #10 05/01/12, 07:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Zanzabeez ND

KrisD,

I have to band all of my little guys alone. I am not sure which breed you are working with, I am working with ND. This should work with a larger breed buckling too if you can still fit him in your lap.

The way I do it is tip the buckling up on his rump in my lap with his back resting against my left arm and body. Think the position that a lot of people shear sheep in. I put the band over the testicles using my right hand on the bander. I then use my left hand to "count to two" and hold the testicles to keep them from slipping back up. I double check myself to be sure that the band is not too close to the teats and then release. The hardest part for me is getting it to roll it off of the prongs quickly. I then tell the little guy sorry and prep for the screaming.

LOL at Nancy! Yup, that would draw a crowd for sure....

Tracy

Thats how I band too.

Have banded a cat in a church building bathroom.... beats doing it in a parking lot LOL

DarleneJ · #11 05/01/12, 08:01 AM

I did all the boys by myself, sheep and goats. I just took one at a time. Set myself down in the hay in a pen and brought them into my lap. If they stuggled too much I could put one leg over them or usually, I put my elbow over their torso so their head was next to my side behind me. This way I hade two hands free and used the back of my arm to control the baby. My animals usually weren't that keen on people, because they loved their mommies. The few bottle babies I had were easier but still wiggled.

Hold them firmly and talk softly to them. If you are relaxed about the process, they will relax for you. My biggest concern was making sure I had both testicles in the sack before banding. I missed once and had to immediately cut the band with a pair of scissors and redid it. (NOTE: This must be done immediately.)

Give yourself a good block of time so you don't feel rushed. Don't rush the process. Touch the babies all over (head, back, tummy) so they know you aren't hurting them. Then ask them to be restrained. Some will work out better than others. Don't worry, it can be done by yourself.

Be patient, there is a learning curve. Enjoy your time with the little ones. You will figure out what works best for you after "gettin' 'er done" a few times. You can do it! I believe in you!