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["Lynda" <lurine AT com-pair.net>]

It only takes one to be a problem.  Many long years ago when the kidlets 
first decided they were going to raise goats (70s), we bought a complete 
herd.  Some horned, some dehorned.  "We" the humans didn't have any problems 
with the horned does.  However, any goat that has horns knows how to use 
them and will use them against other animals.  The old Sanaan "b" would hook 
other does under the flank and 9 times out of 10 hit the udder if they had 
the audacity to be eating something that she decided should be her's.  She 
became dog food!  And the beautiful but nasty registered Nubian doe went 
down the road.  If any kid that wasn't her's came near her she'd hook them 
and toss them across the yard.  She was a beautiful doe with beautiful 
bloodlines and a "perfect" udder.  We sold her, with complete disclosure, to 
a woman who showed goats.

It was simply easier to stick with a herd with no horns.  And, the dehorning 
(didn't use the burn method) was quick and easy.  Plus, the kidlets main 
market was show and production does and the big dairies and the show folks 
don't want horns.

Lynda
----- Original Message ----- 
From: "EarthNSky" <erthnsky AT bellsouth.net>
> Only head to head??  Well, yeah, I have seen that, but in my barn, they
> would butt each other in the back or side as well if for example, Xena
> was laying in Isis' spot.  They butt in the udder area if the receiving
> goat is laying down and the offending goat is standing.  They would very
> often ram each other in the sides to move their fellow goat out of the
> way if they were competing for my attention.  In my experience, they
> butt each other all over.
>
> I do agree with the 'caprophile' sentiment about certain dogma.  I know
> that there are some who see no middle ground.
>
> I thought of one other thing on the 'horn' issue..  I think I said
> before that disbudded does sell for more/are more in demand than horned
> does.