Castration

Question 1

Why are farm animals most commonly castrated?

Answer 1

• control unwanted breeding - inbreeding, out of season, heifers
• improve meat quality - bulls tend to be more lean and less marbled (tender), boar and buck meat tend to have an odor
• decrease dangerous behaviors

Question 2

When is it recommended to castrate farm animals? What are 2 exceptions?

Answer 2

as early in life as possible, can be done day one if both testicles have dropped

1. small ruminants - early castration can cause the diameter of the urethra to be smaller, making obstructions with calculi more common (tend to castrate pets at 4-5 months)
2. show cattle - testosterone quickens growth

Question 3

What are some major concerns about castrating farm animals?

Answer 3

• urinary calculi in small ruminants
• feedlots
• lidocaine toxicity in goats
• tetanus
• fly strike
• bleeding

Question 4

Testicular anatomy:

Answer 4

Question 5

Testicle, blood supply:

Answer 5

Question 6

What should be done if only one testicle has dropped?

Answer 6

prolong castration until the other testicle is identified

Question 7

What piece of equipment is this?

Answer 7

Newberry knife —> cuts into scrotum and creates a flap to allow testicles to drop out

Question 8

What piece of equipment is this?

Answer 8

Elastrator —> castrator

Question 9

What piece of equipment is this?

Answer 9

Burdizzo —> clamp castrator

Question 10

What piece of equipment is this?

Answer 10

Emasculator —> crush and cut the spermatic cord

Question 11

What piece of equipment is this?

Answer 11

Henderson —> opens scrotum, spins spermatic cord to snap without bleeding

Question 12

What piece of equipment is this?

Answer 12

Callicrate bander

Question 13

In what situations are elastrators recommended? How does it work?

Answer 13

young calves, lambs, and kids < 1 month old

band occludes circulation from reaching testicles, resulting in tissue distal to the band rot/necrose off within 2-3 weeks

Question 14

What 4 complications are associated with using elastrators?

Answer 14

1. some miss both testicles
2. tetanus
3. usage on tissue that is too thick
4. rubber can disintegrate in the sun and lose elasticity

Question 15

In what situations is simple cutting a good option for castration? What equipment is used?

Answer 15

young calves up to ~ 6 months (depending on the size of testicles)

• knife
• scalpel
• Newberry knife
• towel forceps to hold onto scrotum and avoid cutting own finger

Question 16

What 3 complications are associated with simple cutting?

Answer 16

1. fly strike - use fly spray
2. hemorrhage - larger testicles have larger arterial supply, can pack with gauze
3. when using the Newberry knife, the leftover scrotal flap can seal and full with fat or connective tissue, making the cattle look intact

Question 17

How is the Newberry knife used?

Answer 17

• Lidocaine into cord proximally +/- scrotal tip
• poke knife between testicles and pull down
• this results in a flap of scrotum that the testicles can be pulled out off

Question 18

How is a scalpel used to castrate?

Answer 18

• Lidocaine into cord proximally +/- scrotal tip
• use towel clamps to grip the tip of the scrotum for stabilization and to protect fingers
• cut off the lower half of the scrotum
• grab higher above on the testicle and strip fascia one at a time
• pull slowly down and back to remove testicle, may need to cut vas deferens

Question 19

What method of castration can be used on a 7 day pygmy goat?

a. cut and Lidocaine
b. cut without Lidocaine
c. Newberry knife and Lidocaine
d. Newberry knife without Lidocaine
e. Henderson castration tool and Lidocaine
f. Henderson castration tool without Lidocaine
g. Barnes dehorner with Lidocaine
h. Emasculator with Lidocaine
i. Emasculator without Lidocaine
j. Elastrator with Lidocaine

Answer 19

A, B, J —> make sure Lidocaine is below toxicity

• Newberry knife = overkill
• Henderson castration tool = better for cattle
• Barnes dehorner is NOT a castration tool
• Emasculator = overkill

Question 20

Why can cattle testicles be pulled? What should be avoided?

Answer 20

spasm resulting from pulling with stop bleeding

pulling too fast —> can retract all the way back into the body and bleeding will not be noticed

Question 21

What is done to avoid scrotal swelling following castration?

Answer 21

ensuring opening is large enough to allow drainage

Question 22

In what cases are emasculators the best tool for castration?

Answer 22

older calves with larger testicles

Question 23

How do emasculators work?

Answer 23

• cut open the scrotum, but do not pull the testicles
• crimping edge pointed toward tissue remaining on the body crush the spermatic cord
• cutting edge pointed toward testicles cuts them off within the scrotum (nut to nut!)

Question 24

What is the correct placement of emasculators?

Answer 24

nut to nut

• crimping edge toward body
• cutting edge toward testicles

Question 25

In what cases do emasculatomes work best? How do they compare to other tools?

Answer 25

(burdizzo) - can technically be used in all sized males, but can be overkill for smaller males - awkward to use - should do one spermatic cord at a time - bloodless castration = no fly strike problems

Question 26

What tool is being used?

Answer 26

Burdizzo emasculatome - snaps/crushes vas deferens one at a time

Question 27

In what situation is a Callicrate bander or EZE bander most appropriate? How does it compare to other methods?

Answer 27

older calves and mature bulls - bloodless castration = no fly strike - tetanus vaccine recommended - more expensive - need to buy bands

Question 28

How do Callicrate/EZE banders work?

Answer 28

- place rubber tubing around the base of the scrotum - tighten - once all the way, crimp the tubing and cut it

Question 29

Callicrate bander result:

Answer 29

Question 30

What is this tool?

Answer 30

Callicrate bander

Question 31

Callicrate bander:

Answer 31

- both testicles within - tool self-tightens until the notch rests on the back of the opening - recommend placing Lidocaine at place where the band is placed ---> tightening hurts until feeling is lost

Question 32

In what situation do Henderson castration tools work best? What is required for it to work?

Answer 32

larger testicles where hemorrhage may be a post-op complication drill ---> tool spins and twists spermatic cord until it severs, only used on one testicle at a time

Question 33

What additional use can Callicrate banders be used for?

Answer 33

ligation of uterine arteries with a prolapse (Callicrate PRO)

Question 34

What is this tool?

Answer 34

California bloodless bander

Question 35

What physical restraint is recommended for castration of pigs?

Answer 35

dorsal recumbency between legs, hold onto hindlimbs - each testicle done once at a time - cut over testicles, median raphe associated with increased bleeding

Question 36

How is a castration performed on pigs?

Answer 36

- incise over each testicle - pop testicles out, strip fascia, and pull them out (may need an emasculator for larger spermatic cords) - heal by second intention

Question 37

What 6 complications are associated with pig castrations?

Answer 37

1. scirrhous cord - inadequate drainage 2. inguinal hernia 3. tetanus 4. abscess 5. fly strike - healing by second intention 6. cellulitis

Question 38

What is done if a pig is monorchid?

Answer 38

don't castrate yet, wait until second one drops or may require an abdominal exploratory

Question 39

How are camelids castrated?

Answer 39

- Lidocaine used for pets - isolate and cut over testicle - pop testicle out - strip fascia - pull out testicle (may need to tie off spermatic cord or use an emasculator in larger testicles)

Question 40

In what large animals are tails most commonly docked? Why?

Answer 40

sheep ---> prevention of fly strike on wooled breeds +/- show sheep

Question 41

What landmark is used for docking sheep tails? Why?

Answer 41

where caudal tail fold convene helps avoid rectal/vaginal prolapse

Question 42

What tool can be used to dock sheep tails?

Answer 42

- Elastrator - Emasculator