Hello,
first, I don't have experience with a buck that old, only with bucks that served two seasons and got cut at age 2 years.
Both settled down fine but are still a bit more "picky" about what they are comfortable with what I'm doing with them than the younger cut wethers.
But, this could also be because of
- breed: one is a alpine mix and I know from his breeder that the mother's a sensible goat, too
- companions: the other is head of the young bucklings and has to be very strict with not being challenged when they are near him. I'll see, if he settles down more when the others become wethers this fall and the competing stops.
The alpine mix lives in the big herd with the does and I see him fight with the old boss for dominance when the does are in heat but he's not THAT interested in "impressing the girls", more in improving his status against the old boss. Yesterday, f.e. both were fighting/sparring while another wether was actually flirting and mounting the doe in heat.
The alpine isn't overly aggressive towards the other wethers, he's no. 2 or 3 in the picking order and the others defer to him. The lower they rank, the more he leaves them alone. Occasional fights and dominance behaviour occur between him and the older, high ranking wethers (who's going first through a narrow passage, who's allowed first at the mineral lick, that stuff)
I've had a stallion that served and was cut at age 5 years and he turned out to be a sweet guy, easy to handle, no problems with geldings, best "foal uncle" one could want.
No scent problems remain.
I would look at the buck if his character now is what you want in a packgoat. He can only get more mellow with castration so if he's a sweet guy already, that will remain. If he's bossy, aggressive, not easy to handle, this will get better to a certain degree. Check with the owner how much of his behaviour may be related to being untrained or mishandled and what is his original character.
About training: you can train a goat that old. BUT it depends on what the life of this goat was in these years if and when he will become a reliable packer. If he lived the sheltered life of a "barn potatoe" it will be a hard transition to become a working goat. If he's shy, this is a hard habit to break. How has he lived: did he have the chance to build stamina and coordination in rough terrain or has he lived in a pasture without any stimulation to climb, run, jump = he may be clumsy at first.
Was he sheltered from environmental influences: weather, rain, cars, noise, dogs, etc.?
The more sheltered/pampered his former life was/is, the harder the transition will be for him. He can be trained but you won't know for several months if he will turn out to be a packer.
first, I don't have experience with a buck that old, only with bucks that served two seasons and got cut at age 2 years.
Both settled down fine but are still a bit more "picky" about what they are comfortable with what I'm doing with them than the younger cut wethers.
But, this could also be because of
- breed: one is a alpine mix and I know from his breeder that the mother's a sensible goat, too
- companions: the other is head of the young bucklings and has to be very strict with not being challenged when they are near him. I'll see, if he settles down more when the others become wethers this fall and the competing stops.
The alpine mix lives in the big herd with the does and I see him fight with the old boss for dominance when the does are in heat but he's not THAT interested in "impressing the girls", more in improving his status against the old boss. Yesterday, f.e. both were fighting/sparring while another wether was actually flirting and mounting the doe in heat.
The alpine isn't overly aggressive towards the other wethers, he's no. 2 or 3 in the picking order and the others defer to him. The lower they rank, the more he leaves them alone. Occasional fights and dominance behaviour occur between him and the older, high ranking wethers (who's going first through a narrow passage, who's allowed first at the mineral lick, that stuff)
I've had a stallion that served and was cut at age 5 years and he turned out to be a sweet guy, easy to handle, no problems with geldings, best "foal uncle" one could want.
No scent problems remain.
I would look at the buck if his character now is what you want in a packgoat. He can only get more mellow with castration so if he's a sweet guy already, that will remain. If he's bossy, aggressive, not easy to handle, this will get better to a certain degree. Check with the owner how much of his behaviour may be related to being untrained or mishandled and what is his original character.
About training: you can train a goat that old. BUT it depends on what the life of this goat was in these years if and when he will become a reliable packer. If he lived the sheltered life of a "barn potatoe" it will be a hard transition to become a working goat. If he's shy, this is a hard habit to break. How has he lived: did he have the chance to build stamina and coordination in rough terrain or has he lived in a pasture without any stimulation to climb, run, jump = he may be clumsy at first.
Was he sheltered from environmental influences: weather, rain, cars, noise, dogs, etc.?
The more sheltered/pampered his former life was/is, the harder the transition will be for him. He can be trained but you won't know for several months if he will turn out to be a packer.
