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Our first baby goats

 
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Location: Southern tip of Nova Scotia, Canada
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goat chicken food preservation
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I'm a bit ashamed for this to be my first post but so far I haven't needed personalized information. Our first baby goats were born May 15th and were dis-budded on their 6th day by someone with the tools and experience... But I'm certain their horns are in fact partially growing.

Is there anything I can do at this point besides watch and hope their scurs don't get to screwy?
IMG_8757.jpeg
Close view
Close view
IMG_8739.jpeg
Different angle
Different angle
 
pollinator
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What does this mean please?

their scurs don't get to screwy?

 
Rocket Scientist
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Hey John,
a quick search for scurs told me they're incompletely developed horns, often found in cattle, sheep, and goats, particularly after dehorning.
Screwy is probably referring to the form, like a corkscrew.
I guess the owners of the goats wanted no horns at all and are now worried that the horns that are developing will turn out to be dangerous.
 
out to pasture
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If the scurs do get too long and screwy and threaten to cut into the head, it IS possible to use a wire-saw to cut them back a bit. Or while they are still young you may be able to take them to the vet, if you have one with enough experience, and get them to knock the baby out while they try again.

He's not around to ask any more, but my partner's father was very experienced in disbudding and he said that males have bigger horn-buds than females and it took him years to figure out that the shape is also different. Sort of oval shaped and extending diagonally towards the front of the head. I'm trying to get Austin to draw a picture to show what I mean, which I'll edit in later if he comes up with one...
 
Shannon Briggs
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Location: Southern tip of Nova Scotia, Canada
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goat chicken food preservation
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Benjamin Dinkel wrote: Screwy is probably referring to the form, like a corkscrew.


That's exactly right. Thank you. :-)

Burra Maluca wrote: Or while they are still young you may be able to take them to the vet, if you have one with enough experience, and get them to knock the baby out while they try again.



I have informed the vet but he won't be down this way for another two weeks when he'll be giving them their shots at two months old. We've also planned for him to be back a month later for their boosters and castration surgery.

They're likely too old already to "try again" but there may be a surgical option available. I won't know until he gets a look at them in person.

Burra Maluca wrote: Sort of oval shaped and extending diagonally towards the front of the head.



Thank you for that information! It matches what I'm seeing (the parts that got missed) almost exactly!
 
Shannon Briggs
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Just an update:

Our bucklings are growing SO fast. So The vet said that they're kinda stuck with what they've got horn-wise but that we'll watch for any little curls that might cause trouble.
bucklings.jpg
May2025 Bucklings
May2025 Bucklings
 
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