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Castrating

flyingS

Well-known member
I think some of you are saying that you knife cut your calves at birth. Is this correct and are there any draw backs. The company I work for may as well be a seedstock operation on the cutting edge. I not only tag, I weigh each individual calf, last year I gave alpha 7. All of this information kept track of on a Recon (military palm pilot) with cowsense herd file. So when I go out to tag I look like I am going on a long trip or something. We time breed part of the cows so we calve rather rapidly. I would like to find the simplest and fastest way to meet their request. I would rather knife cut at branding and I would not ever tag if I had a choice.
 

Soapweed

Well-known member
flyingS said:
I think some of you are saying that you knife cut your calves at birth. Is this correct and are there any draw backs. The company I work for may as well be a seedstock operation on the cutting edge. I not only tag, I weigh each individual calf, last year I gave alpha 7. All of this information kept track of on a Recon (military palm pilot) with cowsense herd file. So when I go out to tag I look like I am going on a long trip or something. We time breed part of the cows so we calve rather rapidly. I would like to find the simplest and fastest way to meet their request. I would rather knife cut at branding and I would not ever tag if I had a choice.

I used to castrate at birth, and it works alright. Anymore, though, I prefer to castrate at branding time, when the calves are a month or two old. It is easy enough to do the deed while sitting on the calf. We put the tag in the left ear, so I like to sit on the calf with the left side up in the air. Then it is simple enough to just reach over the top of the calf's flank to castrate. It's probably easier just to pack along a jackknife than to have to worry about a banding machine, bands, and syringe to give tetanus shots.
 

Silver

Well-known member
flyingS said:
I think some of you are saying that you knife cut your calves at birth. Is this correct and are there any draw backs. The company I work for may as well be a seedstock operation on the cutting edge. I not only tag, I weigh each individual calf, last year I gave alpha 7. All of this information kept track of on a Recon (military palm pilot) with cowsense herd file. So when I go out to tag I look like I am going on a long trip or something. We time breed part of the cows so we calve rather rapidly. I would like to find the simplest and fastest way to meet their request. I would rather knife cut at branding and I would not ever tag if I had a choice.

Because we tag at birth we knife cut at the same time. Preferably as son as they are dry enough to get a grip on what you need to to get the job done. It only takes another 30 seconds or less and you're sitting on the calf anyway. It's a good idea to make sure they have access to clean bedding and well drained pasture to make sure and avoid infection. Infection is pretty rare around here as it's generally pretty cool out when we calve.
 

Trinity man

Well-known member
Silver said:
Trinity man said:
If we ever try cutting them in the pasture the old mother cow would be in our pocket. Sometimes it may not even be the mother of that calf. They are all pretty protective of each other calf.

Ya just gotta stand your ground, a good rap on the nose right off the bat almost always backs them down a bit. Most of them are just bluffing, the trick is knowing which ones :lol:

Some of these Brahman crosses don't bluff. I had one help me right up a tree one day after she put my horse on the ground. She went right under him to get to me. Needless to say she was at the sale barn the next round up. I was more than glad to see her go.
 

mn

Well-known member
we have always knife cut after weaning, do you think there's less stress on them when you do it at lets say 1 day of age or 1-2 months of age? we have always had a vet do it. when you cut at an early age is this something a person could learn to do?
 

LazyWP

Well-known member
If your cows are anything like your inlaw's cows you better have Giggles help you ward off the attackers. :D I got mauled by a cow the last year I calved out cows at my folks, so I don't spend anymore time on the ground with a calf then I absolutely have too!! Back in the early 90's I help a guy calve, and he knife cut branded and tagged everything with in 2 days of birth. In his case I think it was more because there seem to be lots of calves being sold in the salebarn, as bucket calves, and he was trying to improve his calf loss.
 

Silver

Well-known member
mn said:
we have always knife cut after weaning, do you think there's less stress on them when you do it at lets say 1 day of age or 1-2 months of age? we have always had a vet do it. when you cut at an early age is this something a person could learn to do?

I think that the younger they are the less stress is involved. It is the easiest operation in the world. I lay the calf down on it's right side, put my right knee on it's shoulder area, and use my left leg to hold back the calf's top hind leg.
I make pull the sac out from the body and push a good sharp pocket knife through the sac from side to side and with a single motion cut the sac open completely. Then it is a simple matter to work the testes out where you can get a hold of them and pull them out one at a time. I usually just pull until they are detached, but occasionally the cord is thick enough that as I pull on the testicle I take my knife and holding it at 90 degrees to the cord just scrape it side to side, dont ever cut the cord or they tend to bleed. All in all it only take a few seconds once you get the hang of it.
Some people just cut the tip of the sac right off when the cut calves and it seems to get the job done as well.
 

cowhunter

Well-known member
Its 2:30 in the mornin. My sons bayed a bad boar and it kilt one of his buddys dog. They tied him and drug him out. 5 more days of kemo. I'll be glad when its over. We and everybody I know, cut's a 1/4 of the sack off. Its faster and drains better. They heal fast the only time u ever loose one is if its hot and its extra big. Don't let them get real big. I wish this blueberry was strong enough to send a pic. When we get one on the ground, cuttin and brandin and sometimes ear markin done in less than a min. I wish somebody would take one for the team. Band your self and post daily how you feel. Weight loss or gain, temperment, pain and stress. Well, my son's almost home. Then I can maybe sleep.
 

ANGUS327

Well-known member
I band at birth as well, I make a little loop with a piece of twine and get both nuts in the loop tighten it up and then put the band on I find it easier than trying to get both nuts into the band especially if one has not desended as much as the other. I can usually casterate a calf in about 5 to 10 seconds then I tag them let them go and don't touch them again, plus I don't have to buy beer for a branding crew..
 

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