Bovine Regulatory Tasks Flashcards
What are methods of official identification?
- brucellosis tag/Bang’s tag (orange tag)
- metal tag
- RFID tag
- microchip (horses and camelids)
The first two numbers in a brucellosis tag indicate what?
the state that animal originated in
Why are ear notches used in bovine?
indicates testing for bovine diarrhea virus (BVD)
What species uses ear notches as an identification tool?
swine
What is the preferred method of dehorning/disbudding?
through genetics and breeding to produce polled animals
What is disbudding?
removal of horn producing cells prior to skull attachment
What methods are used for disbudding?
- electric or gas cautery
- caustic paste
- button dehorner
What is dehorning?
removal or excision of the horn after skull attachment
What methods are used for dehorning?
- Barnes dehorner
- keystone dehorner
- wire saw
When does attachment of horns to the skull occur in cattle?
8 weeks of age
When does attachment of horns to the skull occur in goats?
2-3 weeks of age
What nerve block is used for dehorning/disbudding?
cornual nerve block
What drug is used for a cornual nerve block?
lidocaine
How long does a cornual nerve block last?
30-120 minutes
What is the toxic dose of lidocaine in cattle?
10mg/kg
What is the toxic dose of lidocaine in goats?
5mg/kg
What can be done to lidocaine to give it more volume for injection?
dilute lidocaine in saline
Describe the use of button dehorner or electric/cautery dehorning.
- used in calves less than 8 weeks of age or goats less than 3 weeks of age
- want a copper color
- apply iron for about 10-15 seconds total for each horn bud in cattle
- apply iron for 3-4 seconds, let cool (or ice pack), then repeat for each side until copper color achieved in goats
Describe the use of a Barnes dehorner.
- want to take a ring of hair around the base of the horn
- want to press down with tool while cutting
- one swift motion to get a clean cut
may need to pull arteries or cauterize after cutting - typically used in calves 2-7 months of age
Describe the use of a wire saw for dehorning.
- cut as close to base of horn as possible
- typically cauterizes small vessels as cutting
- use for horns too big for Barnes dehorner or for horns curved too much for other instruments
Why are keystone dehorners not typically used?
- very heavy
- can become a weapon if cow is not sufficiently restrained
What should you take care not to damage during castration?
penis
What pain relief can be provided for castration?
- NSAIDs via injection or pour on
- local blocks
What local blocks can be used for castration?
- testicular block
- spermatic cord block
What tools can be used for castration?
- scalpel
- Newberry knife
- callicrate bander
- elastrator bander
- emasculatome
What are the bloodless methods of castration?
- elastrator bander
- callicrate bander
- emasculatome/burdizzo tool
Which bander is commonly used in baby calves (less than 3 weeks) and lambs (less than 4 months)?
elastrator bander
What bander is used for bigger bulls?
callicrate bander
Why do we want to put lambs in dorsal recumbency or sitting position when using an elastrator bander for castration?
less likely to get the urethra in the band in this position
How long does it take for testicles to fall off once banded?
3-6 weeks
Describe the use of an emasculatome/burdizzo tool for bloodless castration.
- total of 4 crush sites (2 on each spermatic cord about 1cm apart)
- want to hold each crush about 20 seconds
What are the disadvantages of using an emasculatome/burdizzo tool for bloodless castration?
- unreliable
- time consuming
- must recheck 4-6 weeks post procedure t make sure testicles are becoming atrophied
What are the surgical methods of opening the scrotum for castration?
- scalpel (remove bottom 1/3 to 1/2 of scrotum)
- newberry knife
What are the surgical methods of removing testicles during castration?
- gentle pull (calves less than 400 pounds)
- henderson tool (calves over 400 pounds)
- emasculator (more common in horses)
Describe the gentle pull method of removing testicles on calves less than 400 pounds.
hold testicle in dominant hand with steady traction while stripping fascia with non-dominant hand; will feel the cord “give” twice, then pull testicle out of scrotum
Describe Henderson tool placement and use for castration.
- curve of the instrument to cup the curve of the testicle
- spin drill slowly for about 10 revolutions then spin drill at top speed until testicle is removed
Why do we not pull on the drill when using henderson tool for castration?
this will cause the spermatic cord to break more proximal and the animal will bleed more
Describe how to use an emasculator for castration.
- open scrotum with scalpel or newberry knife
- strip spermatic cord of fat and fascia
- place instrument proximal to testicle (with the nut of instrument toward the testicle); this will ensure that you are cutting the cord below the clamping site)
- clamp the instrument and hold for 15-20 seconds
When using bloodless methods of castration, an animal should always receive what at time of castration?
tetanus vaccine
When performing surgical castration during fly season what should be applied to surgical site?
fly repellant
