Banding and Cutting

[JMJ Farms]

I recently read an article stating that you could band a bull calf with one of the little green Cheerios and take a knife and cut a slit top to bottom between his cods to allow drainage. Anyone ever tried this? Better to just cut? Or just band?

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

I'd say cut.

 

[Alan]

I use to cut at weaning or shortly after weaning. A few years ago I started banding with the little green cheerio, I try to get them done between a couple hours after birth upto 24 hrs after birth. After 24 hrs they are a lot harder to handle and count to two. One of the best changes I have ever made, never had a problem or saw any adverse effects on the calf. For me I wouldn't band and make a cut both even for drainage, sounds like it just gives the chance for more complications.

 

[kenny thomas]

I recently read an article stating that you could band a bull calf with one of the little green Cheerios and take a knife and cut a slit top to bottom between his cods to allow drainage. Anyone ever tried this? Better to just cut? Or just band?

I have done it but not the way you describe. Many of the bigger calves here are banned with the bigger band and then we cut the bottom of the sack off to allow drainage. Usually within 2 weeks the sack is gone compared to 6weeks sometimes the other way. Give tetanus vaccine either way you do it.
I still like cutting them better though.

 

[Bigfoot]

The only advantage I have seen to splitting the bag after banding is they fall off faster. I have never done it to a young calf, only older calves that I've brought in.

 

[Sd1030]

Ive always banded while small until recently. I learned how to cut and ive started cutting mine at a day old or so. As someone already mentioned theyre easier to handle plus i dont think its as hard on them as compared to them being bigger before doing it. Thats just my opinion though prolly aint worth much.

 

[talltimber]

I've flipflopped between the two mentally lately. I've only cut them personally but they get sluggish a day or two, sometimes more if they take it pretty hard. Luckily I haven't lost one yet.

Doc banded two older calves for me when he was down here. No problems what so ever. Didn't split the bag when he did it. Couldn't tell they were off any really.

I don't like the idea of cutting or banding when they hit the ground, without some kind of tetanus pre-vac what so ever. Doc said he had some reactions to Covexin 8 before on small calves (when I was asking about how young I could start my first round of shots). I gave the two month old calves their first round the day before Thanksgiving, and will come back and cut and 2nd round along about Christmas. I had two about three weeks behind the older calves that I let go and will give first rounds around Christmas, etc. No problems so far. I was trying to get them done a little bit younger. I know its harder on them the older, but I want to at least get the second round in them the day of.

 

[Gateboy]

Anyone got some tips for reducing bleeding when you cut? The last batch I did a couple of weeks ago had several that bleed heavily. They all survived, but I was worried about some of them.

 

[ram]

Anyone got some tips for reducing bleeding when you cut? The last batch I did a couple of weeks ago had several that bleed heavily. They all survived, but I was worried about some of them.

Cut and wean according to moon and you will see a difference.

 

[Lucky_P]

What ram said...
I don't have any idea how to read the signs or which ones to go for... but back when I was in practice, I had a number of older folks who'd only have me out to castrate horses/mules/calves 'when the signs were right'... and bleeding was minimal .
Only 'signs' I knew about were 'dollar signs'. lol.

talltimber...
You can actually begin vaccinations on calves on Day One... the can and will respond...maternal(colostral) antibodies really don't have any inhibitory effect. That said, I usually wait until they're at least 10 days of age if I can; calf's immune system pretty well tanks between days 3-7, so anything you need or are inclined to do to a young calf needs to be done in the first day or two, or wait 'til they're a week old or more.

 

[Gateboy]

LuckyP: I've seen your posts about using a burdizzo and cutting off the bottom of the sack for drainage. I've tried that, and it worked well most of the time. Sometimes there would be a calf with his testicles hanging partly out of the cut sack, and he wouldn't really heal up cleanly like a good cut job does. Have you ever tried using the burdizzo and then pulling out the testicles? I've thought about trying that but haven't yet.

I agree they bleed a lot less sometimes, and the Farmer's Almanac shows "best days" for castrating animals. Usually on the falling moon, I think.

Lots of time, my signs are getting the calves in the pen and having some help at the same time!

Thanks, John

 

[pricefarm]

I band my bull calves as soon as they hit the ground. I don't have to chase them and usually they will just lay there. I also tag them and implant them with Ralgro. Right or wrong it seems to be working ok for me haven't had any problems

 

[talltimber]

talltimber...
You can actually begin vaccinations on calves on Day One... the can and will respond...maternal(colostral) antibodies really don't have any inhibitory effect. That said, I usually wait until they're at least 10 days of age if I can; calf's immune system pretty well tanks between days 3-7, so anything you need or are inclined to do to a young calf needs to be done in the first day or two, or wait 'til they're a week old or more.

That is good info to know. That's been one of a few questions I've asked that usually goes unanswered. The interaction of a vaccine and the colostrum and timing of giving it.

Have you seen any reaction to Covexin 8 in young calves?

 

[Lucky_P]

gateboy,
You didn't see that from ME!
I use a Burdizzo, almost exclusively, but do not cut them. No reason to cut anything if you're clamping with a Burdizzo.

Back in the day, when I used to cut them, I did just slice the bottom 1/3 or so off the scrotum and pull out testicles.

ttimber,
I switch around between Covexin-8, Cavalry-9... if I can get C-9, I do, 'cause it's a 2ml dose... but sometimes I'm in a hurry, and have to go with what I can get my hands on at the local Southern States, and that's usually C-8. It's not all that unusual for calves to be a little slow or achy-looking the next day or two after vaccination, but I don't really worry about it.
Anaphylactic reactions can happen; lost one calf to anaphylaxis 8-9 years ago after giving a 5-way Clostridial (not C-8 or C-9);

 

[JMJ Farms]

gateboy,
Back in the day, when I used to cut them, I did just slice the bottom 1/3 or so off the scrotum and pull out testicles.

This is also what I was taught. Pull them out. Don't cut. Then the next feller says cut. Don't pull. Six one way, half a dozen the other? Lol. Who knows? I sure appreciate all the responses though. I always try to see what others are doing and how it's working for them.

 

[Supa Dexta]

I wish I had snapped a pic the other day of a steer in the yard. Banded at birth, and weaned off at 868 lbs.

He was trying to lick his tail or something in front of me, and he was that smooth it just looked like he was naturally born without a sack.

No messing with cutting, no stress later in life and minimal at birth, and weaning off in the 800s? I'll take that scenario any day of the week.

 

[Banjo]

What ram said...
I don't have any idea how to read the signs or which ones to go for... but back when I was in practice, I had a number of older folks who'd only have me out to castrate horses/mules/calves 'when the signs were right'... and bleeding was minimal .
Only 'signs' I knew about were 'dollar signs'. lol.

talltimber...
You can actually begin vaccinations on calves on Day One... the can and will respond...maternal(colostral) antibodies really don't have any inhibitory effect. That said, I usually wait until they're at least 10 days of age if I can; calf's immune system pretty well tanks between days 3-7, so anything you need or are inclined to do to a young calf needs to be done in the first day or two, or wait 'til they're a week old or more.

http://farmersalmanac.com/calendar/best-days/

 

[Sd1030]

Jmj i do what lucky said he used to do, as in cutting bottom of scortum and pulling out. Ive had very little bleeding doing this.

 

[Bigfoot]

Jmj i do what lucky said he used to do, as in cutting bottom of scortum and pulling out. Ive had very little bleeding doing this.

I didn't know until I came here, that there was another way

 

[Quickdraw Farm]

If I can band it within a week of birth I use the little green cheerios. Otherwise I knife cut. Sometimes a younger calf's testicles will be smushy, almost like jello. These are hard to cut. I tie a shoe string around the top to hold the testicles down before I made the incision. When I get him cut I remove the shoe string. Been knife cutting for many, many years.