Banding Yearling

[Henderson78]

I usually band calves at 5 months because of personal preference, but I obtained an 11 mounth old Jersey bull calf at great price that I couldn't pass up.

I usually use an XL Bander, and I intend on doing the same with this animal. Therein lies the issue. With the smaller calves, the testicles are pretty easy to grab, and feed through the band.

With his,they are obviously much larger, but all the sac is full with fat, or whatever else is in them. It's pretty hard to tell if I'm getting both completely, and I obviously don't want to screw it up.

He's very docile, and lets me grab them with no issue, and doesn't seem to fight it, but I imagine if I release the band and it gets one of his testicles, that will quickly change. :lol:

Anyway, have any of your used these types of banders on bulls this old? And if so, to what degree of success, and what tip would you give? I've already given him a tetanus shot, BTW. Thanks!

 

[farmerjan]

Have done dozens of dairy bull calves at 6 plus months. The fatty feeling in the sac is nuts, not fat. My son puts his hand up through the band basically, around his hand and has no problem with getting each testicle down through it. He likes doing them bigger rather than smaller. You really shouldn't have any trouble feeling if you have them both. If you have used it regularly, then I see no reason why you will have any problem. We actually "redid" one that had been banded as a baby calf and they missed one side. There wasn't alot of extra skin but did get it down and the band around the missed testicle. The owner did not want to cut him. It worked out but we probably would have cut him at that point if he had been ours. We prefer banding over cutting.
I think it calls for you to give him a booster of tetanus. Also, don't do him on a full moon. We have our best luck and least amount of discomfort with them, doing it with the moon going from the last quarter to the new moon.

 

[pricefarm]

I would knife cut him. I think it's less stress when there big and you will have proof on the ground if you got both nuts.