Herd HEALTH

that no other tissue is trapped in two of age, compared to when the elastrator band,” he says. they are a little older,” he says. “There is some experience “After a week of age, I suggest needed to use these effectively using the . The band on these and safely. The tight band cuts off older calves causes a long-term blood supply to the testicles and painful experience. With a knife, eventually the scrotum/testicles the pain is very temporary. With a atrophy and fall off. There is band, additional discomfort may some risk of entrapping extra occur a couple weeks later when tissue in the band, strangulating the band cuts through the skin, that tissue. It may be some fat, especially if there is some festering or worst case scenario a piece of and infection around the area of intestine that falls down through the band.” the inguinal ring,” Raymond says. “In young calves with the small Emasculators with cheerios there is less risk because knife castration the testicles are small; there is not On larger calves cut with a a lot of extra tissue. But people knife, some producers use an performing this procedure need to emasculator to crush the cord be aware of the risks.” If the calf is when testicles are removed. in pain afterward or lies around for “When there are larger blood a longer time than expected, the vessels and more blood supply to calf needs to be checked. the testicles there is more risk for It is not uncommon for one bleeding,” Raymond says. testicle to be missed unless you “The advantage to using this diligently check to make sure they method with larger calves is that it are both still there after applying is quick and effective, and can help the band. “If one is missed, the control blood flow. The downside of Knife scrotum is shortened and often using emasculators on larger calves the testicle is pushed up into is that you have an open wound, so the inguinal ring or up into the environmental conditions can be a body cavity. Then it becomes factor if there are flies or the calves more difficult later for the person are confined in a pen that might be who tries to find and remove it,” muddy or dirty.” or Band? Raymond says. Restraint is important. “You Clues that there might be need good access to the cord of a testicle remaining would be the testicle without putting your Explore the pros and cons of castration methods. behavior (the calf acting like a bull hand/arm at risk,” he explains. rather than a steer) and bull-type “The calf should be stretched appearance and muscle formation. out on the ground with ropes on by Heather Smith Thomas “It can be hard to identify the front and hind legs, or in a chute cause, and may be more technical where you can work without risk to remove the remaining testicle,” of being kicked. The emasculator here are several ways castrated at branding age when Raymond says. “For those reasons, is bulky and needs to be held for to castrate bull calves, they are receiving respiratory and banding is a less preferred method, a moment on the cord to make Tbut regardless of the clostridial vaccines,” Raymond says. but done correctly it can be sure it is crushed properly. Thus method, castration is generally effective. The advantage to banding adequate restraint of the calf is less stressful for the animal at a Knife castration is that there is no open wound or crucial for safety of the person young age. Director of research “This is the most common any bleeding. In situations where doing the work.” and veterinary services at Simplot method,” Raymond says. “A sharp there are a lot of flies, or poor Livestock Co. Randall Raymond and a very young calf sanitation/dirty pen conditions, Newberry knife says castration is necessary in are generally the least stressful banding may be preferable to This can be used on larger the beef industry for animal combination. Technique and ,” Raymond says. calves. “It’s a combination of knife performance, animal health and sanitation are important, but using Clinical professor of beef and , designed to split the safety, and human safety. a sharp knife to remove a small production medicine at Purdue side of the scrotum — both sides “In our operation we castrate testicle, pulling on the spermatic University Mark Hilton tells clients simultaneously,” Raymond says. calves as young as we have access cord and scraping those blood there are generally no problems This approach allows access to the to them. All male calves not vessels with the knife (to reduce with using rubber bands on testicle very rapidly, exposing a lot intended for breeding stock if bleeding) creates minimal stress.” young calves — preferably less of the testicle and spermatic cord. not castrated at birth should be This method is quick and sanitary, than three days of age — if both “The advantage of this is speed. and the calves heal quickly. testicles are banded. The opening created provides good “A sharp knife is an instrument “As a veterinarian, I have drainage, which is important on all cattle producers have in their castrated hundreds of calves larger calves. The disadvantage is pocket, so this doesn’t require extra that had either one or both that to do a good job the operator equipment. With proper sanitation testicles retained. It’s no fun, for needs to be very familiar with the it can be very appropriate. In the veterinarian or for the calf, tool and there’s a bit of a learning young calves this is my preferred because of all the scar tissue; it’s curve to get to where you can use method,” Raymond says. a tough surgical procedure to it properly. It needs to be sharp so castrate the older calf with (a) the procedure can be done quickly Banding retained testicle(s),” Hilton says. and effectively without tearing the In very young calves, another “But if done correctly, rubber wall of the scrotum and causing option is to use small elastrator bands on baby calves is an undue pain. I recommend this tool bands, often called “cheerios.” acceptable method. The research when castrating calves in the 400- “Those can work well, but there are shows there is no difference in 600 lb. range, like light calves sent some challenges and drawbacks,” how the calves respond compared to the feedyard that need to be he explains. “A person must be to cutting them if bands are put castrated upon arrival.” careful to make sure both testicles on early. It’s also easiest for the are included. The band must be person doing it when the calves Banding large calves Properly restraining a large calf for castration is important for safety placed above both testicles, around are small; calves are much easier There are several types of of both the crew and the animal. the spermatic cords. It is important to catch and handle at a day or and methods for banding

48 / August 2015 Hereford.org large calves. “All of them work quickly, with less potential for reasonably well,” Raymond says. additional problems. “There is “Making sure the site is clean, the calf’s environment is “The advantage to those systems a drain on the immune system on larger calves in a feedlot with that tissue as it dies — if it clean, making sure your tools are clean and in good working situation is that you don’t create stays there too long when the order are all crucial for success.” an open wound if conditions are body is trying to get rid of it. muddy and dirty or there are lots It helps to remove this necrotic — Randall Raymond of flies,” Raymond says. tissue,” he explains. There are several challenges “If banding is done correctly, when banding older calves. “Cattle and the blood supply is completely irritation from the band until there is tissue that has a lack of are vulnerable to tetanus, and eliminated, this can be a fast, the dead tissue of the scrotum blood supply, tetanus is a risk. you create an area of the body effective and clean method to dries up and falls off and the Tetanus vaccine can be part of a where there is no blood supply, castrate big calves. We’ve done raw area heals. combination clostridial vaccine, which tetanus really loves. It is some work looking at the effects “When an animal is or given separately. Anybody critical that the animals receive a on these calves, such as the time uncomfortable, it is not gaining banding calves where there is loss tetanus shot. This is even a good it takes for them to get back on weight optimally. The whole goal of blood supply to the testicles recommendation when using an feed, versus cutting them and is to put pounds on as efficiently and not removing the tissue elastrator band on small calves. using an emasculator. The two as possible. The fewer days of should give tetanus vaccine,” We don’t see tetanus as often in groups had very similar results,” discomfort, the better,” Meyer says. Raymond says. that age group, when compared Raymond says. Banding may be easier for It is important to keep supplies with large calves, but it is still a “Five years ago I would have some people, and they feel and the area clean when cutting risk,” he says. said that the banding causes a it is safer because there’s no calves. “I recommend keeping “The other challenges with more sustained pain in these bleeding and possibly less risk your equipment in a bucket of banding tools are making sure big calves and that they feel that for infection, but it also must water with disinfectant such as that both testicles are in the procedure longer than when be done correctly or there are chlorhexadine,” Meyer says. “This scrotum, and making sure the castrated with a sharp knife. additional risks. If the band is disinfectant has the broadest band is tight enough. It is very More recent data suggests that not completely above the testicles spectrum of activity against a wide crucial that the tension be tight this is probably not the case. and catches part of one, this variety of pathogens and is also enough to completely block off Once the blood and nerve supply problem creates ongoing pain non-irritating to tissues. You also blood supply, but not so tight that to the scrotum and testicles for the calf and is a serious want to make sure the scrotum is the band breaks or causes damage is eliminated, nerve function health risk. clean. Use clean equipment, and above the area that needs to fall is compromised and the pain “The banders used on larger then follow up with a disinfectant off,” he explains. There is some sensation in that area is also gone. calves are effective,” Meyer says. spray. If it’s a time of year when risk if the band breaks or is not The feed intake work that has “The one I used for awhile did there are flies, use a fly-repellent tight enough because there will been done tends to support this the job, but I just felt that the product as well.” not be complete loss of blood conclusion. In our hands, the cattle were uncomfortable for a For larger, older animals, supply to the testicle, and this time back to full feed is similar longer period of time. The nice Meyer recommends giving long- situation can cause problems. for both methods if they are done thing about cutting them is that acting broad-spectrum antibiotics, “Another challenge with this correctly,” Raymond says. you know for sure that you got such as long-acting penicillin or method is that large testicles The advantages to banding both testicles. When cutting them tetracycline to provide at least 48 will swell and become very big,” are that it is clean and there are young, there is also less risk for hours of antibiotic protection. Raymond says. “One of the tricks no open wounds and, therefore, serious bleeding than when they “If the animals are in a dry-lot to making this work is to make less risk for hemorrhage. are bigger.” type environment rather (than a) two small incisions after we put The disadvantage, with large clean grassy pasture where they the band on at the bottom of the testicles, is that some additional Technique and cleanliness have room to move freely they scrotum — one over each testicle. management may be necessary Raymond says sanitation is always should be monitored and moved This allows fluids to drain and for drainage and removing the important — no matter which around,” Meyer says. “If they are facilitates atrophy and shrinking necrotic tissue if it doesn’t fall off method you use. in a corral without a lot of room, of the testicles. In some extreme in a timely manner. “Making sure the site (scrotum it helps to move them around cases we may have to restrain and surrounding area) is clean, every day, or open the alley the calf again and open those Comparing methods the calf’s environment is clean, gate and let them go out in the drainage ports two or three days “Even though banding is simple, making sure your tools are clean alleyway and get some exercise.” later. In cases where testicles are quick and bloodless for baby and in good working order are Baby calves out on pasture with very large, once they start to dry calves, personally I would rather all crucial for success. The pen their mothers get plenty of exercise, up we will surgically remove the cut them,” says Daryl Meyer, a or environmental conditions are but older animals in a feedlot scrotum and testicles, just below practicing veterinarian in North a factor when choosing methods. situation need to be moved around. the band,” Raymond says. Platte, Neb. Ideally the calves will have open This exercise will help reduce the Once this dead tissue is “I think the discomfort that space afterward; it’s hard to beat soreness and swelling. HW removed, the area heals more a calf endures is less, and for a nice green pasture. Flies and a shorter length of time other environmental factors when castrated surgically should be considered,” he says. than when banded.” There “Many people don’t think is some discomfort and about tetanus, but any time

Using a sharp knife and castrating a young calf is Pictured is an elastrator band in place on a young calf. If banding is done correctly, this can be a fast, effective and clean generally the least stressful combination. method to castrate big calves.

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