Tetanus shot question

[Anonymous]

I wanted to band a couple bottle calves that we have but did not have any teanus doses. Ran into vets office real quick and told them what I wanted. They always put in int syringe and but in ziplock bag with label. I noticed label said Vision w/ spur ( handwritten), thought that was a blackleg vaccine. Wanted to be sure what it was, any ideas? May have to call them back to be sure. Thanks.

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[Anonymous]

Just did a quick google search. Vision 7 is definitely a blackleg vaccine. (I don't use that brand so I wanted to double check) If I recall correctly, spur is just their proprietary adjuvant.

V

 

[Anonymous]

I would get tetanus shots from TSC, also know as Tractor Supply Co., they sell that product as well as many other vaccines and worming products, you could also get it from Jeffers Ag. Supply on line, they will mail it to you in a cold packed shipping container.

To castrate your calves using a knife and emasculator, 1st knock calf over and restrain, 2nd cut bottom of sack off with knife, 3rd using you fingers grasp testicle (one) and expose neck of testicle, then using emasculator, with nut facing the testicle grasp and close and hold for 10 seconds, the repeat with other testicle, very simple, and little or no blood loss

I would also suggest getting an emasculator, and a very sharp pocket knife, as that method is much safer and faster than banding, and relatively bloodless if done correctly

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[Anonymous]

safer & faster than banding?

 

[Anonymous]

> safer & faster than banding?

Yes safer

First of all, folks who use the bander sometimes end up banding o loop of intestine rather than both testicles, this will cause septicemia and death

Second, they sometimes leave one testicle up above in the abdominal cavity, thus making castration useless, as one testicle remains on the calf,

Cut them off with a knife and emasculator you see them, you cut them off and you damn sure don't have to wonder if you did it right, and it is done right then, not in a week or three when the tissue dries up and the nut sack falls off, not to mention the loss of apetite, and potential febrile calf that get sick and dies, for goodness sake, I can have one cut and up in under five minutes, if they weigh less that 500 #, if they are bigger it just takes longer to knock them down

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[Anonymous]

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[Anonymous]

i see your point about making sure you get both testicles, but if one knows what they are doing with banding, it can be done quickly & safely (for both calf & person--no sharp knife as you say to use) in less than a minute (it takes longer to get the tag & bander prepared than to actually drop the calf & do both). for older calves, banding may not be the best option, but in baby calves, there is no loss of appetite and if done right very minimal health risk.

i'm not trying to change your practice just as you're not going to change mine, but don't discount banding as a quick, easy, safe method.

 

[Anonymous]

> Yes safer

> First of all, folks who use the
> bander sometimes end up banding o
> loop of intestine rather than both
> testicles, this will cause
> septicemia and death

> Second, they sometimes leave one
> testicle up above in the abdominal
> cavity, thus making castration
> useless, as one testicle remains
> on the calf,

> Cut them off with a knife and
> emasculator you see them, you cut
> them off and you damn sure don't
> have to wonder if you did it
> right, and it is done right then,
> not in a week or three when the
> tissue dries up and the nut sack
> falls off, not to mention the loss
> of apetite, and potential febrile
> calf that get sick and dies, for
> goodness sake, I can have one cut
> and up in under five minutes, if
> they weigh less that 500 #, if
> they are bigger it just takes
> longer to knock them down

Sorry about the post with no message - brain cramp! We cut our calves that are to become steers. We cut them as soon as we can, usually on day 1 or 2. My father-in-law always bands his calves with no problems. This is just my opinion, but anyone who can safely and properly cut calves, should be able to safely and properly band them and thereby eliminate potential bleeding problems.