How important is it for a male goat to have companionship?

Question

I'm getting a new male goat for breeding. And yes, I have it registered. I want to know if I need to get one more breeding goat for companionship. I want it to be nice. But can't I just give it attention?

Answer 1

All goats do like companionship and do better with at least one other goat, but our bucks are usually penned alone.  I can't allow them to run free with the girls and harass them constantly.  Some breeders do keep a wether (castrated male) in with them for company, but I can only keep breeding stock.  Also, even with a wether, two males may end up fighting during rut, so your boy is going to be all alone after breeding anyway.

If you have does, your buck will have enough company by visiting with them through the fence, and you can set him up in a stall with calf panels or another material so that he can "visit" with the girls face to face.  However, most bucks are kept separately from the rest of the herd - such is the price he pays for having all those girlfriends!  At least during breeding season, he'll realize it's worth it!

What kind of goats are you planning on raising?  Are you getting a proven adult or an unproven kid?  If you are getting an adult, he should already be friendly and easy to handle.  We breed as much for temperament as we do for conformation, and my bucks are the biggest teddy bears.  An adult should come to you calm, friendly and very easy to handle.  Especially with dairy bucks, you have to be able to give shots, trim hooves and handle a 250+ pound animal - you want to make sure they're as friendly as possible.

If it's a proven buck, look for some of his offspring to see what he's throwing - if a breeder is selling a buck, they should have at least a couple of his kids in their herd.  Make sure the kids are showing the traits you want to breed for, because genetics are very strong.

Also, find out why the breeder is selling.  You might be able to get a really nice buck that a breeder has to rotate out for a new bloodline, or you may be getting something that the breeder just isn't happy with.    

Picking your buck is more important for breeding than anything, and a good buck is where a good herd comes from.  Select him carefully, check his pedigree, and ask lots of questions.  It's a big decision.

Buying a kid can be easier in the respect that you can raise him and he will definitely bond with you, but you also don't know what you're going to end up with for kids.  However, you may end up with a much nicer animal than you would with a mature buck.  Even a 2008 buckling will be ready to breed this fall, but if your does are used to a mature buck, he's not going to get that nasty smell adults do, and your girls may not respond as well to him as they would to a mature buck.  Just some factors to consider.

BTW, any goat can be won over with crackers.

Hope this helps!

Answer 2

Goats are very social animals. They love company and also really like humans to keep them company. So it might be a good idea to get at least one more goat.