When it comes to raising goats the girls get all the glory. After all they are the one having the babies and producing all that milk for your family, but the truth is no babies or milk will be produced without a male goat to help things along.
Many small homesteads choose not to keep a buck, opting instead for artificial insemination or stud service at a neighboring farm.
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When we reached our first breeding season with our first goats we found it very hard to find a stud. Most farms are closed and don’t allow goats from another herd on their property and they don’t allow their goats to leave their farm. It’s just safer that way to control the spread of disease and parasites.
After some searching we decided to purchase a buck to keep on site. Up to that point I had never been around a buck before. And let me tell you, bucks in rut are quite comical!
What You Need to Know About Bucks in Rut
As far as day to day care and feeding, a buck does not require much more throughout the year. Fresh water, a little feed, hay, etc. But when a buck goes into rut you will need to change how your care for your buck just a bit.
Bucks in rut STINK
If you’ve never been around a buck, let me repeat that. Bucks in rut STINK. They urinate all over themselves and will be covered from head to toe and be sticky, stinky, and slimy.
Related Reading: The Ultimate Guide to Breeding Goats
Bucks need to be kept in a pasture separate from your does.
If you have seasonal breeders, you can get away with pasturing them together during the off season, but year round breeders need separate pastures- with no shared fences. Bucks can and will breed through a fence if given the chance. If you’ve got milkers, the stink from a buck in rut can cause your milk to taste a bit off.
Make Sure Your Fence is Strong
We pasture our does in 5 strands of electric fencing. We also have 2 pastures that are fenced with goat fencing. We recently did some rearranging a few weeks ago and I learned real quick that the 4 strand electric fence will not hold our buck when the girls are in heat across the way.
If a fence is all that is in between a buck and a doe he will do what he can to get over that fence. Often times you will need both a physical (wire) and psychological (electric) barrier to keep him in.
Read more about farm fencing –> Fence Options on the Farm
Never Turn Your Back on a Buck in Rut
Our buck is usually a big baby. He cries when his wether friend is not right near him. But come lat August he beefs up and starts going a bit crazy. He’s even attempted to ram me a couple of times when I go in to feed them and I didn’t pour fast enough.
I have also heard that bucks can attempt to mount humans- and you don’t want a 200 lb smelly goat to knock you down. So keep the kids out of the buck yard in the fall and make sure you keep your eyes on him just in case.
Note: Not all bucks will be like this, it is more just for safety. Our first buck, Thor, was an older boy and was the sweetest thing in the world. Even when he was in rut all he wanted to do was to rub his head me and get petted. They only aggression he showed was to his herdmates.
He Will Become a Blubbering, Howling, Sneering Fool
Bucks in rut have all sorts of odd behaviors that the girls just love. Some of these include tongue waving, blubbering, spitting, stomping. He will drink or sniff the does urine if given the chance then raise his lip and make the “buck face” smelling the air all around him.
If you are new to goats, I recommend reading up as much as you can before you purchase. You can find a lot of articles here on The Free Range Life that will teach you about goat care and be sure to check out The Busy Homesteader’s Goat Management Binder– it’s full of to-do lists, checklists, record keeping sheets, and resource pages that will get your new goat herd off to a great start!
Rut Takes a lot Out of the Buck
Being in rut and breeding in general can take a lot out of your boy. Just as you might increase the feed for a pregnant or milking doe, you will need to make sure your buck is getting proper nutrition to help him through this hormonal time.
Don’t Forget: He’s Still a Goat
Which means he is very much a herd animal and cannot be raised alone. You will either need a wether to keep him company or a second buck.
Your Buck if Half Your Herd
Don’t forget that your buck makes up half the genetics in your herd. He can increase the quality of your herd in just one generation, adding desirable characteristics to all his kids.
If you decide to purchase a buck, do your research and make sure you get a good quality goat. Because just as he can add good characteristics, he can also add negative ones. So make sure he has good milking lines and behavior behind him.
Some Things to Think About:
- Consider getting your buck as a baby. A bottle baby is even better, as they will be very friendly and easy to handle
- If you live on an urban homestead, owing a buck is probably not the best idea. Between the noise and smell at breeding time, your neighbors might not like it too much
- If you have a smaller homestead without the room for separate pastures, owing a buck is probably not for you
- If you only keep a couple of does, you probably don’t need your own buck. The cost of care for him and at least one herdmate won’t make financial sense in this scenario.
Overall, I enjoy our boys. Even when they stink. In the fall, I have a special coat that I have affectionately nicknamed my “goat coat” and I wear it over my clothes to protect them from the smell. And these boys tend to be much sweeter and more affectionate than the does- who tend to be a bit more stand-offish.
Check out these other posts on raising goats!
8 Must Have Nutritional Supplements for Your Goats
All You Need to Know About Breeding Goats
You can find more on my Goats Page!
Our Nubian Buck “Odie” is in his second year of rut. His first year wasn’t so bad. He was a bottle baby, and I totally agree that this helped with him being gentle. This year his size has at least doubled, and I understand they grow till the age of three! He weighs about 225 and is gorgeous! He knows his “business” this year and my husband agrees its safer to let him be. He comes to the fence and wants to be petted and scratched but as soon as I pet him he starts blubbering and “giving me the look”. He acts like I should appreciate his “sweet smell”. We all laugh, but are glad we have strong safe fences!!
We were new to goats so getting three alpines, a buck and two does, could have been a nightmare. All three were bottle-fed and all three were a delight. Pontouffe;s first rut caught all of us by surprise and I still have a 9-inch scar over my left knee, inflicted when he suddenly threw a wobbly about me being in the field with the does.
Over the next couple of years he behaved better but smelt worse. A few hot days, and the wind in the right direction, the locals were “aware” him in the nearby village! He sired ten kids in the three years they were here so he knew his business – and we never lost any poultry to foxes with him on patrol. An accident forced their sale but I look forward to having goats again, hopefully in 2018.
Tks for article on bucks veryhelpful
When keeping any bottle baby for any purpose be aware this can cause some to become more dangerous due to the fact that they have no fear of humans. The goat might think they are just playing but 300 pounds of animal with horns is dangerous.
In 40 years I have had more issues with bottle babies (sheep, cattle, hogs & goats) getting physical than mother raised animals.
How long does the rutting lasts? And how often do they rut?
I’ve heard the rutting season August through January if you have seasonal breeders and not year-round. They go into rut every year around this time.
Yes,we have a 51/2 year old male pygmy goat and he started rutting yesterday,i was wondering how long does he stay in rut,he is driving our female crazy lol.she is bout the same age. Thanks
Bubba
Hi there! I have an older buck–he was a bottle baby, but is 9 now. I bought him from his 4-H raiser when she whent off to college, and have had him about 3 years now. He is a gorgeous guy, and knows it. He throws gorgeous babies too! I am considering keeping this year’s 2 bucklings for breed, since Onslo is a Senior now and I don’t know how long he’ll be with us, and these may likley be his last kids. We have the space for a buck pasture, but I’m wondering how much space to alot for each buck–ultimately, how large a pasture do they need. I’m assuming they need to have corners to retreat to and so they don’t spend all their time fighting for position. Also, do I need to be concerned about having two buckling brothers in the same pasture with my senior? First I’m concerned about whether he will harrass them because they’re young, but then concerned they may eventually harrass him because he’s old. Input would be appreciated. thanks
A lot will depend on the bucks. I have 3 intact males currently together, they fight some but not excessively and more “play” fight most of the time. BUT they grew up together so they are more like brothers. This is something were individual personalities really come into play. So you will have to watch how they interact- especially as they figure out their pecking order.
We have 2bucks so far they get along.But they stink . Any help on care and what can I shampoo them with?? I’ll wait till spring to shear. But they might need a bath first. Maybe a couple.lol and ideas will be appreciated.
I would avoid a bottle baby! Bottle babies tend to be more aggressive seeking attention. It’s cute when they are little, but can be very dangerous when they are fully sexually mature. I do not have bottle babies, yet my goats are mostly friendly without being obnoxious.