Does wethering stunt growth/development in males?

[Rayne]

Just curious

[AspenAngoras]

If anything, i think it should enhance growth. Depending on what you want a wether for determines when is a good time to wether. If you are growing him out for the table, earlier is best, he should put on weight better than an intact buckling. If you plan on keeping him as a companion or for packing, many people suggest waiting, as it is belived that the urethra needs to fully develop in order to lower risk of urinary calculi complications in the future. I remember from my animal anatomy and physiology class for college we learned that when the body starts producing large amounts of testosterone it signals for the growth plates in the bone to stop growing. Which is why oxen grow so much bigger than your average bull, I'm guessing the same applies to goats as well, though I have not kept any wethers to find out.

[mygoat]

Not to any degree that would be deterimental, unless the castration was traumatic or extensively painful (done incorrectly)

Intact males will put on lean muscle and grow a bit faster than wethered animals. However, intact males are a nuisance to say the least. People wether their males to keep them from breeding their sisters/females in the herd, allow for better fat deposition as well as muscle growth, and for safety/herd reasons (Like not needing separate pens for intact weaned buck kids). They are otherwise big, stinky, dumb creatures, lol.

As for the urethra thing, I've always questioned that - seems intact animals get UC just as often as wethers. I strongly believe it's more of a feed/management thing than anything else.

I band dairy buckings at a few days old. I do boers when they're 4 or 8 weeks of age - which is when I have to catch them anyways for vaccines/deworming. Nobody is 'stunted' here.

[Rayne]

Thank you Lincoln's dad is HUGE!
I was wondering if castrating played a role in their muscles and their bone growth in a similar way to dogs or if it made them less "manly".

I know with great danes (I have one that's 15 months old) it's advised to wait until her growth plates are closed before spaying to prevent the bones from growing too long (in addition to a whole bunch of other reasons)

Lincoln was wethered early on.... and my other male, he was surgically wethered at about 5 months old. I dont have a lot of experience around goats, so I appreciate all the responses you guys have shared.

[yarrow]

Originally Posted by Rayne

Thank you Lincoln's dad is HUGE!
I was wondering if castrating played a role in their muscles and their bone growth in a similar way to dogs or if it made them less "manly".

I know with great danes (I have one that's 15 months old) it's advised to wait until her growth plates are closed before spaying to prevent the bones from growing too long (in addition to a whole bunch of other reasons)

Lincoln was wethered early on.... and my other male, he was surgically wethered at about 5 months old. I dont have a lot of experience around goats, so I appreciate all the responses you guys have shared.

Just feel the need to throw this out there.. with Lincoln being a nubian.. stunted growth ect in nubians can be a sign of G6S issues.. (only way to know is to test). (we wether young and the wethers are as big as the bucks, if not bigger)


susie, mo ozarks

[Rayne]

Thank you

Here's a picture of Lincoln's dad. His mom was a nubian x saanen mix. I dont have a picture of her though

[Rayne]

Here's when we picked up Lincoln for the first time

[Backfourty,MI.]

My wethers always seem to grow as fast as the other kids here too.

[Rayne]

I can see several things I would have done differently (now that I'm looking at this picture) but I tried stacking him for the first time today. He is still pretty tiny but he's as sweet as it gets. He's 6 1/2 months old now.

[dozedotz]

He is is a real cutie...should have been a girl!! lol But, at least he has you to love and care for him and that counts, too. We have never grown a wether past 6 months when they were either sold or put down for meat, but at that point they were BIG...but very nice.

[GoldenWood Farm]

I have found wethering (like neutering in dogs) causes them to get taller/ganglier than intact males. That being said with your guy he could be from slower growing lines? I remember reading also he had a bad case of cocci as a kid? This could have stunted (probably did) him for a bit.

My goats I expect to continue growing and filling out until they are 4yrs old. I also like I said before know some lines grow slower and mature slower. As long as he is healthy and happy I wouldn't worry and I bet you he will grow like a weed next year and you will be shocked
.

Justine

[cathleenc]

off topic sort of - but I read the headlines as 'does' (as in female goats) wethering (biting off testicles) stunt growth in males - and all I could think of was, those are some mean female goats!