Buck Dominance

SeaGoat · #1 09/26/13, 08:29 AM

With the arrival time of breeding season my buck has started applying extra perfume.
Hes still young, 2 years in Feb., but Im wondering if hell become more "rowdy" and dominant as the season goes on.

I was reading the other day on buck dominance and was left a little confused.
It said that a buck rubbing his head on you is not a friendly gesture..
But my buck is dehorned and his head always seems itchy and I have always itched it fore him, but now that hes stinky I dont want to itch it for him.
So that leaves me wondering if his insistent head rubbing is a "hey, itch me" or if its a dominant issue.
Today I took a stick and itched it from afar and he seemed happy enough with that.

All my previous bucks have been super shy and at the site of me take off for the hills.. This one loves to be next to me..

I just want to make sure I stay on top in pecking order and am not foolishly letting him get away with something and then it becomes a big problem..

Clovers_Clan · #2 09/26/13, 10:24 AM

From my point of view not a dominance issue. Just the opposite, affection. I had a Saanen buck who loved to rub on me, and the does but NEVER on the other bucks. He might have been marking his territory but in a non-threatening way. He was a really sweet guy, never any trouble. He was dis-budded, so it wasn't a safety issue, just stinky. Obviously with a horned goat that wouldn't be a desirable behavior whatever the motivation or intent.

When I had meat goats with horns, the horns on the does were an effective means of handling and restraint when used gently. Its hard to work around a horned goat's head without getting poked when they are evading oral treatments. Its better just to steady them by holding the horns at the base.

Buck goats with horns are trickier. One of the issues I have observed in leaving bucks with horns in my own herd. Is that there seems to be some sort of triggered behavior with messing with their horns or head. I do not play, nor tolerate, any of the natural head butting behavior expressed by bucklings, horned or not. They are trained from an early age to lead by collar. I don't generally scratch their ears or do anything around their horns. If I am worming or checking eyelids I hold by the collar close up under the chin and with the same hand very briefly grasp one horn at the base to hold him steady. This has worked well for me. I won't buy or keep mean and nasty bucks so no other restraint or attitude adjustment has been needed.

I bought a buckling to breed once. The teenage owner commented that he and the kid liked to mock fight, he found it cute. NOT! I sold him two months later, he was completely unmanageable. He might have become aggressive regardless of how he was handled but that kind of "play" certainly did not help.

dozedotz · #3 09/26/13, 02:33 PM

Our two bucks that we presently own came from two different herds in different parts of the country (Texas, TN). They grew up together from the age of 8 weeks. They were bottle fed like all our keepers until they were 6 months old. Both boys love us to this day and have never offered to hurt us. They are over 225 now at two years old. They do definitely spar with each other. This year they came into rut end of July. We did not put them with the girls until September 1st. During that time they clashed but not so that we felt one was in danger from the other. Now that they are with their harems all that is over. Even now while they are with the girls we enter the areas every day and have no problems. They follow us around like big dogs. I did wonder if when my husband throws his leg over one of the girls to force feed her Replamin if the buck might object! Neither of them did...in fact, they did not seem to notice or care. From time to time during their first year we gave them a smart smack on the sensitive nose if they showed any aggression at all...and I mean things like pushing against our legs. We said, "NO!" in a stern voice and that was that. It still works today. Please understand that we always are aware that they are BIG boys capable of even accidentally hurting us, but we do not fear them at all. Unfortunately, many people do not love their bucklings and do not treat them with the same kindness and firmness as they do their doelings. The buckling is just a nuisance to them...even the expensive boy they hope will throw spots!!! If you don't scratch and gently talk to a buckling, I imagine he could grow to be quite a problem. Obviously there are personality differences, too, but most of it falls to maintenance. I think you boy loves you and is just trying to let you know.

Doug Hodges · #4 09/26/13, 02:41 PM

My goats all rub their heads on me. I consider it a loving gesture.

SeaGoat · #5 09/26/13, 03:35 PM

Yeah, I didnt take it at him being dominant and didnt want to turn it into something it wasnt..
In a way he still seems very much like a big baby

Whisperwindkat · #6 09/27/13, 05:54 AM

Mine loves to ask for scratches and pets by placing his head against my leg, not pushing but just enough pressure to let me know he is there. I never considered this aggressive since it was and is always done in the most gentlemanly manner. He really is a kind sweet soul and a good buck. He is also really good with kids and even young bucklings. We enjoy watching him interact with them. I wouldn't consider it aggressive behavior.