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What's The Big Deal About ADGA And Natuaral Horns?

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#1 · (Edited)
What's The Big Deal About ADGA And Natural Horns?

So, I was wondering what the specific reason is for the dis-qualification of horned goats in the show ring. The ADGA website says: My animal has natural horns. Can it be shown? No, animals with natural horns shall not be shown.
Why is this?
 
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#5 ·
Boers are not a Dairy breed, they are a meat breed and usually do not have the massive udders of dairy breeds, and the horns of a Boer curve backward, most often, dairy goats horns are more upright with a slight curve allowing the tips to become dangerous weapons
 
#6 ·
Are all dairy goats dis-budded? Seems to me that dairy goats in other parts of the world tend to keep their horns :).
 
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#7 ·
Almost all registered dairy goats are disbudded. The ones that stay horned can be registered, but never shown.
Disbudding kids is for safety of the handlers, other goats and animals, and better overall. With a disbudded goat you don't have to worry about broken horns, injury to you or other creatures, heads stuck in fences, will they fit on the milk stand, and everything else.
Disbudded animals are safer , and better looking(in the dairy world), and easier to manage.
 
#8 ·
I currently have 1 horned registered nigerian dwarf doe, 2 disbudded does, 1 disbudded buck, 2 polled bucks and 2 polled does.... also have 3 horned nigerian/pygmy does and 1 horned wether.
I don't show and have learned to respect the horns of my goats who have them, I disbud any registered nigerian kids born because I know it is something that is best for the goat and new owner in the long run. Not everyone is as accomodating to horns as I am :)
 
#10 ·
Dairy goats are usually handled more often than most meat breeds. You have to milk twice a day, where with meat breeds, you don't. The chances of injury rises with each time you handle an animal. The only horned dairy goat I ever owned impaled me in the thigh accidentally when she jumped off the milk stand one day. Talk about ouch! She was a rescue, and the sweetest girl. Total accident, but dangerous just the same. I even disbudded my Boers due to the safety issue because I did milk them and had grand kids coming around. I was not going to take a chance on one of the 2 legged kids getting an accidental horn poke to the eye.

ADGA's reasoning is for safey of the handlers.
 
#11 · (Edited)
I had a buck almost bust my leg once back in the 90's. Rammed right into my leg, just above the knee, it wasn't broken but it was fractured.
That's the one thing by I hate about the boer rules, a horned one will be placed over the disbudded ones.

Or the ones with horns, if you are leading them with just a collar, they can hook you wrist or arm in between their horns and twist their head, snap your bones like a twig.

I don't care what it is, if they have horns, I want them taken off!
 
#12 ·
I like a goat with horns. Horns provide a good temporary lead if you don't have one. Or the goat is so wild you can't get one on them. Horns also provide goats with temperature control. Keeps 'em cool in the summer and warm in the winter. Yes, horns hurt when you are poked with them, that's kind of their purpose. Goats will use their horns to fight enemies and to establish herd ranking. I also think horns look elegant. I just really like the look of them. I have a horned doe, she's Boer, and I can't count the times I've been poked with horns. It's going to happen and that's something you have to realize when getting a horned goat, whether accidentally or not.
 
#13 ·
I had a buck almost bust my leg once back in the 90's. Rammed right into my leg, just above the knee, it wasn't broken but it was fractured.
That's the one thing by I hate about the boer rules, a horned one will be placed over the disbudded ones.

Or the ones with horns, if you are leading them with just a collar, they can hook you wrist or arm in between their horns and twist their head, snap your bones like a twig.

I don't care what it is, if they have horns, I want them taken off!
Boer horns are different from dairy horns. Boer horns are curved unlike a dairy goats horns. Here's a picture to show the difference. And as you can see, the dairy horns grow straight back whereas the Boer horns grow back away from the head so they don't pose as much as a problem.
 

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#16 ·
Almost all registered dairy goats are disbudded. The ones that stay horned can be registered, but never shown.
Disbudding kids is for safety of the handlers, other goats and animals, and better overall. With a disbudded goat you don't have to worry about broken horns, injury to you or other creatures, heads stuck in fences, will they fit on the milk stand, and everything else.
Disbudded animals are safer , and better looking(in the dairy world), and easier to manage.
Ok, I agree with everything except better looking :p because I prefer horns....LOL
 
#17 ·
I disagree strongly with this. I don't care if you disbud (I do) or what your personal convictions are, I think people should be allowed to chose what is best for their herd, and not be unfairly discriminated against. If the horns are a safety issue, have it so they have to be penned separately. Don't disqualify them. Horns are natural, IMO this is ridiculous. And I do disbud ... it is what is best for my particular herd and my situation. But it's not what's best for everyone. I feel they are forcing their personal beliefs and practices on others, and it's not right.

Sorry, I'd best get off my soap box now. ;)
 
#18 ·
I not only fully agree with the rule they have to be dis budded to show but I wouldnt have horns even if it were ok. It eliminates unneeded risks. Its not only safer for people and other animals but its safer for the dis budded goat. As mentioned, they can get their heads stuck in fences. If you are lucky to find em before they strangle themselves then you have to cut the fence up to get em out. As for in the show ring, you dont see much fighting or even the want to fight. BUT a goat with horns knows they have horns. I would suspect the want would come into play much more often.
 
#62 ·
As you say, the ones with horns are well aware they have horns. Almost all of our girls have been disbudded. One of the bossiest does literally has one half of one horn due to a bad disbudding job. She uses that half a horn to the best of her ability! I've gotten bruises on my hand/wrist from her waving her half a horn around while I lead her.
 
#19 ·
I agree with you Danielle . And I agree with the reasons the ADGA enforces the "no horns permitted" in the show ring as well. I can fully understand the dangers of a horned goat ramming ( accidentally ) into the back end of the goat in front of them and doing massive damage to that ones udder or other body parts. Show career , possibly its life , is over. Goats get loose , run scared at the shows too.
Its just safer all around IMO because of so many goats in one place. The risk of someone getting hurt is great. I totally agree though , its a natural part of their anatomy and it can be so regal looking as well. And it serves a purpose too.
I would like to hear the explanation given by the ADGA when this rule was first enforced. I dont know anything about it , so I would be very interested in knowing when this rule was enforced and all that jazz.
Im happy with my goats disbudded :) Less of chance of anybody and anything getting hurt here. JMO. But do I look forward to learning how to disbud ?
Heck no !! But it has to be done. I wont be doing it any time soon though.
That's where the vet comes in ;)
 
#20 ·
I like the no horns rule. Like others said when a goat has horns, they know they have them. They will use them , even if its not on purpose. To me it makes them look cleaner. When shaved and disbuded they look more correct in shows. Personally i dont desire them either. I think dairy goats look kinda odd with horns but i like horns on boers. Even thou i only have 1 polled boer wether i still like the look of boers with their horns but personally would not have them
 
#21 ·
I love the no horn rule with dairy goats. Any goat I have had with horns, has been wicked with them. They know they have them and love to use them. Some of my Alpines have been wicked enough without horns, and my boers are awful with their horns. I'm planning on taking them off of the ones I'm keeping for brood and not shows.
 
#22 ·
I perfer hornless as well. I don't have to worry about kids playing with the goats and getting hurt by them. I have one goat with horns right now. She's a tiny nigerian dwarf and she will ram anything. Have you ever seen a tiny goat chase a mini horse before? Ram a cat? I had to move the mini horses and the cats wont go near the goat pen anymore. She's not the boss but I think she's right below her. She's only a yearling with smallish horns and I'm planning on banding them as soon as the tempature drops and the flys go away. None of my other goats act the way she does and the only difference is the horns.
 
#23 ·
^^^
My cats are not allowed anywhere NEAR My goats, and they are all disbudded. I think that its just that cats are clearly predators, and they just aren't allowed according to the goats LOL.

I was holding my super friendly 9 week old nigerian dwarf buckling this afternoon, and when he went to jump away he accidentally nailed me in the face as he jumped away. Even at his young age, I was super happy that I had him disbudded, otherwise I for sure would have been injured!
 
#24 ·
I agree with the no horn rule for dairy, because of the facts that other people have stated.
Dairy goats have A LOT to loose that a horn could ruin.
I think that meat goats have a lot to loose also but most are really muscular and can probably fight off anything without horns.
Yes, horns are good for protection but I've had an oberhasli buck and a nigerian wether fight off a bear & he hasn't been back since.... Neither had horns.

I have had many goats with horns come around the farms I help out at and they have jammed my wrist, dislocated my wrist AND knee, sliced my thigh open along with my left arm.
Keep in mind, these are all Nigerians.
I do know that not all goats would do that but in my eyes it's not worth the risk..

It is very very safe to just have them disbudded or band their horns.
 
#25 ·
I nearly took a horn to the eye from my boer wether. Thankfully he only hit my cheek instead because I flinched just in time. Big, nasty bruise and cut. So my dairy goats will never have horns. The boer has whacked me several times, accidentally, and man they hurt. I can't imagine what a strait horn will do, since it is easier for them to wield them for strikes (accidental or intentional).
 
#26 ·
I agree with you Danielle . And I agree with the reasons the ADGA enforces the "no horns permitted" in the show ring as well. I can fully understand the dangers of a horned goat ramming ( accidentally ) into the back end of the goat in front of them and doing massive damage to that ones udder or other body parts. Show career , possibly its life , is over. Goats get loose , run scared at the shows too.
Its just safer all around IMO because of so many goats in one place. The risk of someone getting hurt is great. I totally agree though , its a natural part of their anatomy and it can be so regal looking as well. And it serves a purpose too.
I would like to hear the explanation given by the ADGA when this rule was first enforced. I dont know anything about it , so I would be very interested in knowing when this rule was enforced and all that jazz.
Im happy with my goats disbudded :) Less of chance of anybody and anything getting hurt here. JMO. But do I look forward to learning how to disbud ?
Heck no !! But it has to be done. I wont be doing it any time soon though.
That's where the vet comes in ;)
Well said, and I do agree and understand, but I just hate it being forced upon people who chose to keep their goats with horns. I wish they could make a compromise ... maybe the horned goats all have to have dulled tips, or even tennis balls at the tip. And, I hate to say it, even if the horned goats have to have their own ring! I think they should be allowed shown.
 
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