Castration: knife cut or pull out?

[rynophiliac]

I have heard different opinions on castration methods where I'm from. Some some just cut open the sack and milk the cord up then gently pull the testicles out with the cord which allows for less bleeding. Then I've heard others say don't ever pull them out as that can be harmful to the calf. They say milk the cord up then cut/scrape as high on the cord as you can. 'Is there any consensus or possibly studies done on this? Everything I've found is on castration vs banding but I don't do any banding.

 

[dun]

When w do cut rather then band, we use the first method for upto about 6 months, after that we use the second method. I've seen one vet that uses the second method on everything including 2 year olds. She has an electric drill with a fork kind of deal sticking out of it. Put's the fork over the cord just above the nuts and hit's the trigger.

 

[Lazy M]

Thanks alot, I may never eat spaghetti again..

 

[tnwalkingred]

We always try and cut our calves before they are 4 months old. We cut the sack and pull the testicle until it comes out. If there is anything left hanging we cut it off. Never had a problem.

KW

 

[Bigfoot]

We always try and cut our calves before they are 4 months old. We cut the sack and pull the testicle until it comes out. If there is anything left hanging we cut it off. Never had a problem.

KW

Never occurred to me to do it any other way. Saw the drill thing in action once. Supposed to help with bleeding.

 

[Workinonit Farm]

milk the cord up ....... They say milk the cord up

Okay, in all my years of dealing with these animals, as well as horses, hogs etc. I have never heard the term "milk the cord up".

Could someone please tell me how does one "milk the cord up". ?

Thank you.

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

We like to use the big bands on bull calves at weaning time. Leave them on a week, then cut them off about a half inch below the band. No bleeding, learned this way from one of the best cattlemen in the country, Mr. Gordon Hazard.

 

[kenny thomas]

Guess I am way old fashion in my way of castration but it was how I was taught.
I cut the bottom 1/3 of the sack off, then grasp a testical and very carefully slice the membrane thats around the testical allowing the testical to pop out. The membrane is a attached to the bottom of the testical so I cut that loose . Then I pull the testical firmly allowing the cord to stretch out tight grasping the cord as high as I can as I pull. The longer the cord is before it breaks the better I feel about it. Then I repeat the procedure on the other testical.

 

[cow pollinater]

I cut the sack and pull them down and then crimp with emasculators. Very little blood and they seem o heal up faster.

 

[Supa Dexta]

Could someone please tell me how does one "milk the cord up". ?

Thank you.

Nothing fancy, just holding a nut in one hand, and running the other hand up and down the cord kind of pinching it.

I sure enjoy a good season of banding after reading these threads. I don't miss knife cutting one bit.

 

[rynophiliac]

We always try and cut our calves before they are 4 months old. We cut the sack and pull the testicle until it comes out. If there is anything left hanging we cut it off. Never had a problem.

KW

Do you separate the vas deferens off from the blood supply and cut the vas deferens with a knife before you pull out the blood supply/artery? or do you pull the blood supply and vas deferens out together as one unit?

The first method leaves the vas deferens intact, the second method pulls the vas deferens out with the testicle

 

[tnwalkingred]

Your speaking language I don't really understand but here is the best answer I can give. We pull everything out at once. We don't separate anything so I assume we're pulling it all out together. Keep in mind we only use this method on calves that are 400 lbs or less. Been doing it this way for years and never had a trouble or one bleed much at all. For larger calves I normally have the vet do it and until yesterday was not a fan of any cutting method for large calves. The vet had a new tool that hooked to cordless drill and once you attach it above the testicle you hit the button and it twists right off! Calf didn't bleed at all and is doing well. She cut the entire bottom of the sack completely off instead of just splitting it. I'll probably use this moving forward on all big calves. DMF is a fan of the XL bander on large calves.

KW

 

[backhoeboogie]

Guess I am way old fashion in my way of castration but it was how I was taught.
I cut the bottom 1/3 of the sack off, then grasp a testical and very carefully slice the membrane thats around the testical allowing the testical to pop out. The membrane is a attached to the bottom of the testical so I cut that loose . Then I pull the testical firmly allowing the cord to stretch out tight grasping the cord as high as I can as I pull. The longer the cord is before it breaks the better I feel about it. Then I repeat the procedure on the other testical.

I band generally. If not, I do pretty much exactly what kenny thomas is describing. It works. If its not broke, I don't need to fix it.

On occasion, you get one that the testical is not dropped. It is up in his stomach. No fun to go get it. But you have to. I've had this happen maybe 4 times in my life.