Castration + Dehorning of calves + lambs

Question 1

What is a castrated bull / ram?

Answer 1

Bull = steer / bullock
Ram = wether

Question 2

Why would you castrate?

Answer 2

*Behaviour - safer to handle
*Prevention of pregnancies
*Better carcass quality

Question 3

Why would you NOT castrate?

Answer 3

*Welfare - pain, stress
*Reduced growth rates
*Growth set back at time of castration

Question 4

When should you rubber ring calves / lambs?

Answer 4

*First 7 days

Question 5

What age can a trained person castrate with burdizzo?

Answer 5

*Calves = 0-2months
*Lambs = 0-3months

No analgesia required

Question 6

What ages are vets required to castrate?

Answer 6

*Calves = over 2 months
*Lambs = over 3 months

Local anaesthetic required

Question 7

What are the benefits of castrating younger?

Answer 7

*Easier + safer
*Less risk to animal
*Less setback to growth
*Easier in indoor lambing systems

Question 8

What are the benefits of castrating when older?

Answer 8

*Longer period of high growth rate
*Easier in outdoor suckler calving systems

Question 9

What are different methods of castration?

Answer 9

*Rubber rings
*Bloodless castration = burdizzo
*Open castration = knife

Question 10

What analgesia is used? Where does it go?

Answer 10

*Local anaesthetic - Procaine - 10-15min onset
*Spermatic cord, subcut in scrotum + into testes

Question 11

What needs to be done when castrating with rubber rings?

Answer 11

*Make sure to include both testicles
*Good hygiene - new + clean equipment

Question 12

When would bloodless castration be more likely to fail?

Answer 12

*Older animals

Question 13

When is bloodless castration preferred?

Answer 13

*Dirty conditions - no contamination

Question 14

What are the benefits of open castrations?

Answer 14

*Suitable for any age
*No uncertainty - testicles = removed
*Less growth setback + less pain in large animals

Question 15

What are risks associated with open castration?

Answer 15

• Haemorrhage
• Herniation
• Infection at wound site
• Tetanus - vaccinate
• Gut tie - associated with recoil of spermatic cord into abdomen

Question 16

What are 2 different methods of open castration?

Answer 16

• Smaller calves = twist + pull to break the spermatic cord
• Larger calves = crush + cut with emasculators

Question 17

What is key for successful surgical castration?

Answer 17

*Keep animal clean - outside after
*Restrain well
*Adequate anaesthesia
*U-shaped incision
*Antibiotics

Question 18

How would you treat a haemorrhage?

Answer 18

*Pack with cotton wool, identify spermatic cord + ligate

Question 19

How would you treat abscessation / infection?

Answer 19

Drain + antibiotics + NSAIDs

Question 20

How would you treat a gut tie?

Answer 20

• Laparotomy
  or
• Slaughter

Question 21

Why would you dehorn?

Answer 21

*Safety - to farmer + other animals

Question 22

When should you dehorn?

Answer 22

*Young - less stress better success rate
- Avoid flies / or use fly repellent

Question 23

What are the different ways of dehorning?

Answer 23

*Chemical = paste - must be done in first week of life
*Heat - must use anaesthetic

Question 24

Where should you inject anaesthetic for dehorning?

Answer 24

*Cornual branch of lacrimal nerve - pull back to ensure not in artery / vein

Question 25

How would you disbud? Step by step

Answer 25

• Restrain
• Inject local anaesthetic
• Clip hair + identify horn bud
• Burn hair / horn junction
  *Rotating action till disbudded

*Consider xylazine to sedate animal with older calves

Question 26

What should be done with aftercare of dehorned animals?

Answer 26

*NSAIDs
*Meloxicam
*Fly control
*Check for haemorrhage / infection in older animals

Question 27

How would you treat sinusitis?

Answer 27

*Tilt head to drain
*Hosepipe in hole = flush out
*Antibiotics

Question 28

What are potential risks of dehorning?

Answer 28

*Fractured skulls - too much pressure
*Brain trauma / damage = too hot disbudder

Question 29

How would you disbud goats?

Answer 29

*Young - under 7 days
*V large horn buds = need larger diameter disbudding iron
*Thin skulls = need to be careful
*Require sedation by law

Question 30

What nerves would you need to block if dehorning an adult goat?

Answer 30

*Cornual branch of lacrimal nerve
*Cornual branch of infratrochlear nerve