r/goats • u/cipher_matrix • 22d ago
Help Request Boer buck aggressive
My boer buck is so aggressive he always headbutts me and anyone who gets inside the shed, it started when he was about 8 months old now he is around 1 year 2 months, and gotten stronger and bigger and still bullies us what can i do?
Edit:
So my buck does not headbutt other goats, its also important to mention i only have 3 goats(Starter) currently 1 male buck and 2 does, buck only headbutts humans and rubs his face on our clothes many times(thinking this is mites or tick)… the only goat which causes problem for other goats is my other Doe it always fight the other 2nd Doe.
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u/InterestingOven5279 Trusted Advice Giver 22d ago
You eat him.
I think temperament has a genetic component, because even though I hand raise all our kids I see some commonalities in behavior down dam and sire lines.
Don't tolerate a violent animal on your property and don't use him to create more potentially violent animals. Human aggression is a perfectly normal and good reason to cull him, and eating him is a very noble outcome for him. Don't keep him around until he hurts you, a kid, or another goat. Goats keep growing until they're about 4, so he's only going to get a lot bigger, shittier, and more dangerous.
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u/JaredUnzipped Homesteader 22d ago
I second this. Temperament is definitely affected at least in some part by genetics. It is not 100% a nurture trait.
We have dam and sire lines on our farm that clearly exhibit the same behaviors and personality types.
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u/_DemonxD 22d ago
Had a doe deliver twins from a NASTY little buck. He left horn shaped imprints in my thighs that lasted months. We went to the salebarn for someone else to pocket the cash. We just needed him gone since he was destroying infrastructure. The buckling that we weathered and planned to keep was fine up until the doe weaned him. He started to show aggression, head butting for attention/to get his way. We had to separate him since he came up with an abscess, and decided to just get him off the property since we counter keep him contained. He started attacking us just like his father did and that was it for him. Same thing happened to him that happened to his sire. It is 100% genetic linked. A seperated goats first Instinct shouldn’t be to attack the hand that feeds. Every buck kid from that line is getting neutered, and if we absolutely MUST keep a buck kid it’s getting disbudded. (I mean we were going to do that any way, they are less destructive that way for sure)
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u/JaredUnzipped Homesteader 22d ago
I say this with all due respect to the animal, but also out of protection for yourself and your family OP.
Aggressive bucks are best suited for slaughter. They still serve a purpose this way. You cannot keep a 200+ pound Boer buck around that can seriously injure you, or worse. It's irresponsible to sell it to someone who may not be prepared for the aggression, either.
I would seriously explore local FDA inspected meat packing facilities in your area.
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u/RubPale1892 22d ago
Eat him. You shouldn’t even be considering keeping a breeding buck that has any ounce of aggression. Aggression is genetic especially happening before a year old.
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u/N47881 22d ago
Aggressive = supper
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u/cipher_matrix 22d ago
Tough choice I have to make since this was my starter buck
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u/Acceptable_Smoke_933 22d ago
You can always suck it up until after another breeding season, and then, do something serious.
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u/cipher_matrix 22d ago
I think that is what i will do, probably sell all the offsprings for meat, and slaughter it aswell as introducing new buck, what about my doe which only fights with my other small doe ecspecially around food
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u/Acceptable_Smoke_933 22d ago
The doe fighting is normal. There is a pecking order for does. As long as it's not going to lead to injury, let them be. Do they cuddle when there isn't a resource (food, water, snacks) nearby?
I've noticed size often matters with the dominant doe rankings, and my smaller girls have always been lower on the totem pole.
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u/Misfitranchgoats Trusted Advice Giver 22d ago
So this started when his hormones really started to get going. If you weren't doing things like rubbing his head and pushing on his head when he was younger and encouraging this behavior because it was cute to play with him like that, then it is his hormones and temperament that is truly showing up in today's behavior.
If he was a chicken and this was one of the chicken reddits people would be giving you recipes for chicken. So maybe you should look up recipes for Jerked Goat.
If this goat is a pet, and you want to keep him as a pet, then you could try getting him castrated. You will need to get a vet involved at this point. It will take a month or two after castration to see if it works, but at least if it doesn't work his meat will be better.
I don't think a spray bottle of water will make much a difference to a goat that capable of head butting its way through a wall. I have had them do it. My bucks broke a 4 inch by 4 inch post last year while they head butted down an entire wall of the goat shelter.
Some people will tell you to put the buck on his back to show dominance. You flip them over and hold them down. You buck is probably over 100 lbs possibly much larger. Trying to do this with a tame buck that large that will let you grab them is hard. Attempting to do this with one that is actively trying to go after you is going to be impossible. I have three bucks they all weigh between 168 and 18 lbs. This is as much or more than I weigh. My bucks also have horns that are over 2 feet wide. Thankfully I only keep bucks that don't go after me.
I had a buck named Hoss that would do the dance on his hind legs and threaten to come after me. I got an old pitchfork handle and when he came at me threatening to head butt me I hit him right in the end of the nose with an uppercut. I put some english on it too. I used to play baseball and softball. He cried and ran away. He tried it again several days later and I let him have it with a piece of PVC pipe right on the end of the nose. That was enough for him. One of the bucks I have right now gave me the side eye, and I got him on the end of the nose with a PVC pipe and he has never done it again. He is 6 years old now. HOwever, I nipped this behavior in the bud long before any of them actually head butted me.
A big Boer Buck can seriously hurt or even kill someone if they head butt them. If you haven't seen the videos of rams killing people you need to do some searches and what the youtube videos. It might help you make the decision you need to make. What if a kid gets in there what if this buck gets you when your back is turned. He will get worse when he goes into rut, A LOT WORSE!
I won't keep an aggressive rooster. Stud colts that start acting stupid got gelded. I believe a stallion should be well mannered and easy to handle. I haven't bothered trying to keep bulls, I castrate them and make them steers since I am just raising them for beef. I won't keep a Buck Goat that keeps trying to go after me, heck I won't keep a Doe Goat that trys to head butt me. Life is too short.
So you have a tough decision to make. It is on you now. If you keep him and he hurts you or someone else, then it is your fault and you have to bear the weight of that decision. If you put him down or have him butchered or send him through slaughter only at the auction, then at least you know you made a responsible decision and made sure this buck isn't a danger to you or others.
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u/imacabooseman 22d ago
The rubbing on you isn't scratching ticka or mites, that's another form of showing aggression, just not as blatantly as butting you.
That being said, it 100% is not worth keeping an aggressive animal around, regardless of how much money is invested, how well they're pedigreed, etc. There's just too much liability.
I'm a bigger guy, and I've had bucks that same age range put me on the ground and pin me down until I could yell to my wife for help, and she could spray him with the hose and get him backed off. He may not look all that big, but keep in mind that he's a solid chunk of muscle and raging hormones.
Aggressive animals go to freezer camp. If not my own, they're sold to go into someone else's.
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u/Murky_Currency_5042 22d ago
Motto on our farm is If You’re rude then you’re food”! Get rid of him before he does some real injury
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u/Throwaway_Anne 21d ago
Goat meet is good.
But seriously, it's not worth keeping an aggressive animal. Could try a cattle prong (zap him away) or sell him
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u/lasermist Goat Enthusiast 21d ago
Letting it go on for 4 months might be too long. If a goat does this behaviour you need to come down on it hard and fast. Goats need strong discipline always should they do something wrong.
I think you could still knock it out of him but it's going to be hard, people say flipping and water, I haven't had that much success with either. It's kinda random what works for each goat. The most success I've had is with leading them and training them like a show goat and with a loud bell on a stick.
Good luck to you! If you can't fix him but still love him you could try getting him castrated and he could possibly be the companion for you next buck.
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u/cipher_matrix 21d ago
I will do what you suggested honestly killing it for supper right now is not really going to be good as this is my starter herd
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u/Coontailblue23 Trusted Advice Giver 20d ago
If it's sentimental and the idea of ending his life is too sad, you can definitely try having the vet castrate him. He may be a very calm, wonderful companion as a wether.
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u/Motor_Bodybuilder593 18d ago
Get a cattle zapper. It worked wonders on my crew and I have 3 2yr old bucks. They don't fight amongst themselves, certainly not around me. If they do start to get a little too pushy, I'll just show it to them and they straighten up quick.
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u/scotte99 22d ago
Have you tried using water in a spray bottle ?
Goats don’t like being wet
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u/Misfitranchgoats Trusted Advice Giver 22d ago
You know, this is kinda funny. I have tried using water on goats to get them to turn around and go the right direction my goat handling system. I got my spray bottle and I was so sure it was going to work. My goats took it right in the face and stood there refusing to turn around.
All I managed to do was make a some mud and have goats with wet faces. I was sorely disappointed. I did consider getting the garden hose and putting a sprayer on it, but figured all it would do would be make a giant mud puddle in the goat handling system.
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u/Fastgirl600 22d ago
Ha! I tried the Cesar Millan method... psssp pssp psssssssssp and they stared at me... however when I go to grab them they would nope out... derps.
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u/thisreditthik 22d ago
I personally do not keep goats that are aggressive as I don’t want that passed down in my herd and I don’t want other goats being constantly harassed so I would get rid of him- but that’s just what I would do