I'm looking for any advice on this... We have a one-week old bull that we want to castrate. Thought we'd use the bands to do this. But I'm reading so much about tetanus being a problem.. and I'm not sure when to do this. Is two weeks too young? Will we lose out on a lot of horn if we do it this young?
Castrating a longhorn
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randiliana
Well-known member
You can band a calf anytime, so long as the band will fit over the testicles. We band all of our bull calves at about a day old. If you are concerned about tetnus, you can give a tetnus vaccine. We don't and have never had a problem. As for how banding will affect horn growth, I really don't that will be an issue.
Longhorn bulls have less horn than the steers and cows. Do him a favor and casterate him as soon as possible. We tried to get our commercial calves banded the day they were born. I think it's less stressful than waiting until they're older.
Thanks for all the help. Yes, definitely want to do this sooner than later! We've got one bull on the place already. Don't need two! Thanks everyone. Love the picture. I'd upload one here but haven't figured out how to work the dang thing yet.
TexasBred
Well-known member
Longhorn "steers" grow much larger horns than the bulls.
TXBobcat
Well-known member
TexasBred":55imav24 said:
Correct. Mature steers will normally grow longer horns than mature bulls. If you are sure you don't want to leave him a bull, then as soon as you can count 2 testicles, I would get him banded. The younger you band them, the quicker the sack will dry up and fall off. If you are worried about tetanus, you can give him a shot of tetanus toxoid.
Keren
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TexasBred":2qucq5bu said:
Interesting ... why is that?
I know with goats wethers do not grow as heavy or big horns as intact males. Obviously different with cattle. I have not really worked with horned cattle, except when they were dehorned.
TNMasterBeefProducer":3i41650d said:
Then all you have to worry about is infection, flies, screwworms, and dust. All I have ever done is band bull calves if I want them steered. Never given a tetanus shot, and have never had a problem.
hopalong
Well-known member
TNMasterBeefProducer":3la51f0f said:
Why use a vet? Surely you know someone who knows how to do it! Hard enough to make any money in todays market without adding a vet bill right off the starting line!
count to 2 release the band give a tetnus toxoid shot and be done with it!
TexasBred
Well-known member
Keren":2xrvhrsd said:
The horns of steers continue to grow at a reasonable rate throughout life, because the low levels of testosterone in steers allow the growth plate of the inner bony core to remain unossified.
TexasBred
Well-known member
Bandit..sort of like us old guys except our "ears and nose" grow along with the ear and nose hair. :lol: :lol:
Running Arrow Bill
Well-known member
TexasBred":2k38ivjq said:
ROFLOL!
The ears and nose don't grow larger...
The cranial vault shrinks due to loss of bone mass...
Ear & Nose hair...why? Ever heard of tweezers, scissors?
:lol:
TexasBred
Well-known member
Running Arrow Bill":3fo29jy3 said:
Is that it Bill?? My hat size is the same.... :lol2: Yep I have to go to the barber often...not for a haircut but for a "plucking". :help:
gg4rebels
Well-known member
We cut our calves. Just use a scalpel to cut the skin off the end, pull the boys down and out until the cords thin out and cut them off. Spray with blue lotion or equivalent and that is it. We gave a tetanus shot at the time.
