Castration band not working

[woodbine]

The last time I castrated my bull calves earlier this year it was all successful bar one bull calf. His testicles have swollen and look irritated but not infected. He is still eating well and getting around. Will they eventually drop off? It's been about 8 weeks since the band was put on.

 

[Black and Good]

What kind of bander/band was used? Sounds like it was not tight enough to cut off blood flow. B&G

 

[denvermartinfarms]

What kind of bander/band was used? Sounds like it was not tight enough to cut off blood flow. B&G

Yep that's my guess too, I've seen it a lot of times. That's why I only use the little green bands or cut with a knife.

 

[Ohrmundt Simmentals]

We use the little green also. We castrate and tag within a day or so of birth. I get new ones every year and keep them in a sealed jar. After a year or 2 they start to crack. We have also used the little thicker tanish ones that I think are good for calves up to 300 lbs.

 

[denvermartinfarms]

I have used the little green ones on calves over 300lbs. As long as I can still get the band on I use them, and have never had a problem with them.

 

[skeeter swatter]

Sure it didn't break off?

 

[machslammer]

We had one calf do this, this year. Started swelling, then started to Rot and you could smell that thing a ways off. Yuck!. We got him up and the little green band had broken after part of it started to die. We attempted to cut with no success because he was pouring the blood at that point. Sutured him up to stop bleeding. He weighed about 450-500 lbs. We borrowed a neighbors callifornia(sp?) ratchet style bander with the large bands, put it up above where the good skin stopped, ratched that sucker down, and in 4 days the whole ball of stuff fell off and he was as slick as a ribbon.
Anyone on here use the regular California style hand grab and wrap style band? Does it get tight enough to cut off the circulation to the sac? Thanks.

 

[woodbine]

This sounds like my situation. He was too large to use the green band so I had to use the next size up which is a cream colour.

Did you have to put the calf to sleep in order to address the issue?

 

[Texas PaPaw]

We had one calf do this, this year. Started swelling, then started to Rot and you could smell that thing a ways off. Yuck!. We got him up and the little green band had broken after part of it started to die. We attempted to cut with no success because he was pouring the blood at that point. Sutured him up to stop bleeding. He weighed about 450-500 lbs. We borrowed a neighbors callifornia(sp?) ratchet style bander with the large bands, put it up above where the good skin stopped, ratched that sucker down, and in 4 days the whole ball of stuff fell off and he was as slick as a ribbon.
Anyone on here use the regular California style hand grab and wrap style band? Does it get tight enough to cut off the circulation to the sac? Thanks.

I use a California bander and it gets however tight you pull it. That being said, if you pull it tight enough that you can't slip your finger between the band and the scrotum it is tight enough to do the job. I really like it and have never considered replacing it with the Calicrate ratchet style.

 

[woodbine]

I used a jumbo bander which uses the cream coloured bands that are the next size up from the small green ones whih wouldn't fit on.

 

[machslammer]

This sounds like my situation. He was too large to use the green band so I had to use the next size up which is a cream colour.

Did you have to put the calf to sleep in order to address the issue?

No, we put him in a head chute and used the calicrate ratchet style bander to get it as tight as it would go and it did it's job with all the excess falling off.

 

[machslammer]

We had one calf do this, this year. Started swelling, then started to Rot and you could smell that thing a ways off. Yuck!. We got him up and the little green band had broken after part of it started to die. We attempted to cut with no success because he was pouring the blood at that point. Sutured him up to stop bleeding. He weighed about 450-500 lbs. We borrowed a neighbors callifornia(sp?) ratchet style bander with the large bands, put it up above where the good skin stopped, ratched that sucker down, and in 4 days the whole ball of stuff fell off and he was as slick as a ribbon.
Anyone on here use the regular California style hand grab and wrap style band? Does it get tight enough to cut off the circulation to the sac? Thanks.

I use a California bander and it gets however tight you pull it. That being said, if you pull it tight enough that you can't slip your finger between the band and the scrotum it is tight enough to do the job. I really like it and have never considered replacing it with the Calicrate ratchet style.

Texas,
How long have you been using this style of bander? Ever had any wierd situations occur with them? Thinking of buying one and some bands, but didn't know if they really worked well or not.. I liked the ratchet style, but it was kind of big and bulky to try and hold and get the calf to be still and everything that's going on with them. The hand deal looks quick and easy and just seeing if they work or just cause more issues as I usually just cut all mine.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Texas,
How long have you been using this style of bander? Ever had any wierd situations occur with them? Thinking of buying one and some bands, but didn't know if they really worked well or not.. I liked the ratchet style, but it was kind of big and bulky to try and hold and get the calf to be still and everything that's going on with them. The hand deal looks quick and easy and just seeing if they work or just cause more issues as I usually just cut all mine.

Been using it 8-9 years, done well over a thousand head with no problems. Banded them weighing from 150-1000#. Really works well for the big cutting bulls. After you have done several it gets pretty easy to use, but was a little awkward at first. Just takes a little practice. The bands are a little slippery when you have sweaty hands so I use a small set of vice grip pliers and clamp them on to the loose end of the band. Can get a much better grip with them and makes it easier to get them tight. On a very few really small calves with little nuts have had to wait until they get a little bigger to have enough scrotum to get a hold of. The green cherrios bands work well on these little dudes. Also have found that using a scalpel to make a slit into each testicle immediately after the band is applied will let things dry up and fall off in half the time. Also be sure to give a tetanus toxoid vaccine when apply the band. Have never had a case of tetanus.

 

[Jessica06]

I hate those green bands. Had a terrible experience one of the last times we used them..similar to what it sounds like you are about to go through if you have to pull him in and cut them off. That being said! We've been using the Tri-Band Bander for about 5 years. After hundreds of steers, I've never had one break, and never had a pair of testicles fail to fall off. And you don't have to mess with clips and tension like the Callicrates. Takes about 10 seconds. Really irks me to see ear-notched, tagged, BULL calves go through the ring. You can't spend 5 cents to make $100?!?! Big pet peeve (obviously )

 

[Dave]

Pocket knife. 30 seconds. Count to two. Sort of a never fail system that has worked for years.

 

[machslammer]

Dave that's what i use but can't get my dad to USE the same method. Insists on banding.