Castration went wrong?

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Anonymous

My dad and I castrated my now 10 week old calf 1 and a half months ago. We used the elastrator rings. Why has the scrotal sac not fallen off yet? THANK YOU
 
We banded our week old bull --almost six weeks ago. The same thing...the scrotal sac is atrophied, which is a fancy way of saying that it has dried up and is just hanging there. This morning, I noticed the calf didn't act like he felt too well, so I figured: either pneumonia or that banding wasn't such a good idea. Off to the vet I go. I asked if I should band him again, should I cut the sac off, what do I do? Vet gave me Baytril shots (100mg, subcutaneously, once a day for five days). They told me to leave the sac alone -- this antibiotic should take care of either problem. What I think I did wrong was: when I expanded the band to put it over the scrotal sac, I just popped that puppy in one fell swoop. I suggested that perhaps I needed to gently expand it a couple of times before stretching it to its full capacity. The vet assistant said that they always banded on their cattle ranch and in the heat of branding, castrating, innoculating, dehorning, etc, there was rarely time to expand anything gently and that it never seemed to matter. Sometimes the sac falls off, and sometimes... viola... we have this going on. Mind you, this is from one beginner to another, but this has been my experience for today.

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Odds are it wasn't the banding that caused the problem. In many areas a tetnaus shot is called for when banding, I was shocked when the vet said it isn't necesarry in this area. The single most important part of banding is to count to two after you put the band on. If you don't count two, cut the band off and start over. You would be surprised at how many steers that were banded go through a sale ring with one nut neatly tucked away. The problem with one nutters are they are still a bull and will behave as a bull. They may, not likely but may still be marginally fertile and breed things you don't want bred to him. There may be others but those are the two that we used to have when we bought steers. The local 4H and FFA will no longer allow banded steers the must be knife cut. There was a real problem with bulls competing unfairly with steers. Sad commentary one adults that are teaching kids to cheat in a program that should be teaching them good values. Damn, there's that soap box again................... Re: your other post, I've been at this for a good number of years and went through most of what newbies are experiencing. I can really feel for them because I've made all the mistakes possible and some that were'nt possible. I'm fortunet now that I can mentor people around here that are just getting started or are having problems. It seems like I get a refresher course regularly on the strange things that can happen. I'm also an old phart and rather opinionated but I try my best to only speak from my experience and not my opinions unless stated as such.

dunmovin farms

> We banded our week old bull
> --almost six weeks ago. The same
> thing...the scrotal sac is
> atrophied, which is a fancy way of
> saying that it has dried up and is
> just hanging there. This morning,
> I noticed the calf didn't act like
> he felt too well, so I figured:
> either pneumonia or that banding
> wasn't such a good idea. Off to
> the vet I go. I asked if I should
> band him again, should I cut the
> sac off, what do I do? Vet gave me
> Baytril shots (100mg,
> subcutaneously, once a day for
> five days). They told me to leave
> the sac alone -- this antibiotic
> should take care of either
> problem. What I think I did wrong
> was: when I expanded the band to
> put it over the scrotal sac, I
> just popped that puppy in one fell
> swoop. I suggested that perhaps I
> needed to gently expand it a
> couple of times before stretching
> it to its full capacity. The vet
> assistant said that they always
> banded on their cattle ranch and
> in the heat of branding,
> castrating, innoculating,
> dehorning, etc, there was rarely
> time to expand anything gently and
> that it never seemed to matter.
> Sometimes the sac falls off, and
> sometimes... viola... we have this
> going on. Mind you, this is from
> one beginner to another, but this
> has been my experience for today.
 
i had problems banding a couple of years back.. band must have broke or something.. anyway .. a big mess.. i use a knife only since then.. have talked to others who have had problems from time to time with banding. the knife seems to work much better.

> My dad and I castrated my now 10
> week old calf 1 and a half months
> ago. We used the elastrator rings.
> Why has the scrotal sac not fallen
> off yet? THANK YOU

[email protected]
 
I counted to two... so my steer is really a steer. My dad and brother use a knife, and I sure see what you say about unfair competition.... by the way, if you didn't have an opinion on something, someone would give you theirs ( I would volunteer, if you didn't have your own opinions... lol) I have found that if someone doesn't have a firm opinion on something, they probably won't like the opinions others will foist off on them. Grover Cleveland said: "If you stand for nothing, you will fall for anything..." I try to make sure I am always standing, even if I do have to move over from time to time.

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I don't know of anyone who doesn't just "pop" the band on once they know it's in the correct place and they have counted to two. Any calves I've banded have always had their sacs atrophy after a few weeks.

Make sure you replace the bands from time to time so you aren't using old ones more likely to break.

I was under the impression the tetanus shot was recommended for older bulls that are banded with the surgical tubing. I could be wrong.

Rafter L Murray Greys
 
In regards to banding.........I at start-up failed to count to 2........wound up with "2" I didn't want...........use the knife!

> I counted to two... so my steer is
> really a steer. My dad and brother
> use a knife, and I sure see what
> you say about unfair
> competition.... by the way, if you
> didn't have an opinion on
> something, someone would give you
> theirs ( I would volunteer, if you
> didn't have your own opinions...
> lol) I have found that if someone
> doesn't have a firm opinion on
> something, they probably won't
> like the opinions others will
> foist off on them. Grover
> Cleveland said: "If you stand
> for nothing, you will fall for
> anything..." I try to make
> sure I am always standing, even if
> I do have to move over from time
> to time.

[email protected]
 

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