cutting young calves

[fishermanswoman]

Does anyone have any good advice on cutting your calves..Proper way to do it etc. We need to do it before the weather starts getting warm... Thanks for your help

 

[Limomike]

try this link:
http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/youth%20ext ... rating.pdf

 

[ArrowHBrand]

I'm going to assume by "cutting" you mean castrating. We castrate our bulls a few days after they are born with castrating bands. They look like O rings, but are thick tough rubber bands that you put on a device called a bander. You put the band on the bander, open it up, pull BOTH testicles through it, and then close the band around them. They will harmlessly and safely fall off on their own. Band bulls sooner than later to reduce the chance of developing a problem. We calve between January and March so the cold weather helps if there is any swelling.

 

[Bez>]

Easy to do - if you have never done it get someone in who has the experience - or bring in a veterinarian - makes things a whole lot easier until you are in the know. Also prevents death from bleeding out.

Regards

Bez>

 

[xbred]

i've never read an article or talked to a vet that didn't reccomend cutting/pulling over banding...i can't say i agree, but test show that of the two methods, banding is the most stresful...

 

[flaboy?]

The Saskatchewan Livestock and Forage Gazette has an aticle on this very subject with results from Colorada, Ok State University, and the University of Guelph.

Scroll down to the article "Comparing Castration Methods".

http://www.wbdc.sk.ca/publications/Livestock and Forage Gazette Mar03.pdf

And this from a study at Cornell University;
In terms of animal welfare, the answer is less clear. Cortisol ("stress hormone") has been used as an indicator of stress. Chase et al. (1995) reported an immediate and greater increase in cortisol levels in surgically castrated animals compared to banded animals. On day 2 the difference was still significant and by day five, while the pattern was similar the difference was not statistically significant between castration methods and the controls (steers). In studies that evaluated banding within 48 hours of birth to surgical castration, the results were similar. Surgical castration increases stress as measured bycortisol levels to a greater extent than banding. Castration by either method increases cortisol levels for a short period of time, but surgical castration increases cortisol more acutely.

 

[cattleluvr18]

i dont believe that banding causes stress. we banded 15 calves in one day and all of them ate there supper that nite, acted normal and everything. dont it only "hurt" for a little while and then after 6 hours they cant feel nothing no more. i would much have a band put around, lets say my finger sinse im a girl, then have it completly chopped off. and i dont worry about the bands like i would if i cut. of corse i keep an eye on them, but i dont worry about it. if i cut, i would be worried about infection and all that crap. its your choice, but i perfer bands.

 

[Aaron]

Get someone to show you. I never did and I can do them just fine, but some people need that bit of expertise to settle them down.

Over a longer period of time, banding is more critical. With slip-ups and tetanus/infection, banding is far more dangerous than cutting. Imagine having a quick clean cut and some antiseptic within 3 min, or having it slowly rot off over the course of 6 weeks.

I have messed with far too many weaned calves where the testicle slipped past the band afterward, that cutting is more time-saving in the long run.