My castrated bull calves are now 6 months old. They were castrated by rubber ring at a month old. I'm pretty sure that there were 2 testes in the ring but now at 6 months old I feel some mass in what's left of the sack, although it doesn't feel hard. What is it, is it testicles? What is a humane way of dehorning at 6 month old. Thanks for any input. P
Castrating
- Thread starter ppollard
- Start date
When banding young calves it is easy to have both testes down in the scrotum but when the band is slipped over one will shoot back up in the abdomen. You may have to do some minor surgery 
The only humane way to dehorn is to buy a homozygous polled bull. I hate dehorning....nast business.
The only humane way to dehorn is to buy a homozygous polled bull. I hate dehorning....nast business.
Faster horses
Well-known member
The guys in the feedlots will tell you that dehorning sets the calves
back worse than anything else. Takes them much longer to recover
than from castration even.
I agree. Easiest thing is to breed them off. :nod:
back worse than anything else. Takes them much longer to recover
than from castration even.
I agree. Easiest thing is to breed them off. :nod:
Northern Rancher
Well-known member
Probably should be done long before they hit the feedlot!!!
Faster horses
Well-known member
Yep. Right. Not everyone does it tho...
I think that running the calves through the chute is one of the funnest parts of this business... and I like to dehorn. I really do not see what everyone gripes about, it takes an extra couple minutes in the chute, and the dogs get a treat!
Northern Rancher
Well-known member
When you use rings is there much sack left at all-I wiresaw off the few horns we get doesn't take me long at all.
Kato
Well-known member
There shouldn't be much there at all, let alone something you can feel something inside of. You may have put the elastic on too low. Always, when putting an elastic on a bull calf, count to 2 before you take the pliers off. It's the best extra 10 seconds you can spend.
I'd get someone who has some experience to check this out. We get feeders every year who've been done wrong with elastics and it is Hubby's pet peeve. They can be fixed but it needs to be done by someone who knows what they're doing.
We've found that with a lot of this sort of thing, it is well worth the money to have your vet show you how to do it right. That's how Hubby learned to castrate with a knife, and it was worth the extra effort.
I'd get someone who has some experience to check this out. We get feeders every year who've been done wrong with elastics and it is Hubby's pet peeve. They can be fixed but it needs to be done by someone who knows what they're doing.
We've found that with a lot of this sort of thing, it is well worth the money to have your vet show you how to do it right. That's how Hubby learned to castrate with a knife, and it was worth the extra effort.
Horseless
Well-known member
The sack should have fallen off by now. Usually they dry up and fall off. I band within a couple days of birth and most have fallen off by branding at 1 to 2 months. Always be 100% sure you have both nuts. Had a neighbor not really pay close attention and left one up inside which needed to be cut out later. I try put the ring down tighter to the nuts than to the abdomen. Too tight against the abdomen can lead to slower healing as there is not enough extra skin to close up the wound when it falls off. If a nut has not dropped or just can't find it, I don't even attempt to band, wait to cut at branding.ppollard said: