Surgery of young sheep and cattle Flashcards
Removing horns where to anaesthesise
Admin local via Cornual nerve block
Mid way into grove between lateral canthus of eye and base of horn
30 degree angle, aim towards horn
What gauge needle and size used to Admin local via Cornual nerve block
18g, 1-1.5” needle
Indications LA works on removing horn
droopy eyelids, prick skin
Removing Horns - Analgesia
Meloxicam
Removing horns Up to size of thumb nail
Chemical (if < 1 week old)
Or heat disbud (ideally before 2 weeks old)
Removing horns Anything bigger than thumbnail
De-horn
Equipment needed for disbudding
Portable gas canister attached to iron/ Re-chargeable electric iron
Calf crush
Outline process of dehorning
Restrain in crush with halter
Up to thumb size – De-horn cups or cut off tip then burn
Bigger than thumb – De-horn guillotine (AKA shears, loppers, choppers) or embryotomy wire
Remove as close to base as possible
Close cups/guillotine and twist
Normal to expose sinus
Haemostasis – hot iron or clamp (tease, twist and pull)
Dehorning – post surgery
Wound spray or topical antibiotic – oxytet ‘blue’ spray
Check batch for haemorrhage before you leave
Clean, dust free environment
Is disbud or dehorn preferred
Disbud, but less than 2 months
Is anaesthetic required in chemical
No
Is dehorning a routine procedure
No
Why castration
Decreases aggression and mounting behaviour
Prevents unwanted pregnancy if males and females need to be housed together
Improves meat quality
Market demand
Castration options
Bloodless (interrupts blood supply)
Rubber ring
Burdizzo- used to crush both spermatic cords, thus stopping blood flow to the testicles, which are then reabsorbed by the body.
Surgical
Maximum age to use rubber ring for castration
Must be less than 1 week- No anaesthesia required
Is anesthesia required for burdizzo
Anaesthesia (legally if > 2 months but should be used for all)
NSAID (ideally 20 mins before)
Outline Castration – Burdizzo (bloodless)
Secure handles with knees
Thumb and finger to hold cord lateral to one side in neck of scrotum
Crush using fast closure and leave for 5 – 10 secs
Move jaws up/down 1cm, repeat on same side
Do not overlap crush sites
Repeat on other side x 2 sites
Crushes blood vessels without cutting the skin
Testicle should atrophy
Worth checking it has worked 4 -6 week later
Is anesthesia required for Castration – Surgical
MUST use anaesthesia
MUST be performed by a Vet
Outline Castration – Surgical
Wash and disinfect the skin
Hold onto scrotal neck and push testicles down so skin is tense
Vertical skin incision on lateral/ventral aspect of scrotum (or one right along the bottom of scrotum)
Squeeze testicle out and incise vaginal tunic (may have cut with skin incision)
Pop testicle out
‘Make a window’ using fingers, between tunic and testicle
Break attachment of vaginal tunic at ventral aspect of testicle
Release attachment of tunic as far up cord as you can
Twist and pull
Castration – post surgery
+/- antibiotics (topical or systemic)
Monitor for bleeding, clean pen
How long after castration (surgery) for complete infertility
3 weeks
Castration – complications
Infection of surgical site
Prolapse of vaginal tunic
Clostridial dz e.g. tetanus, so vaccination
Haemorrhage
Incomplete castration (burdizzo, rubber ring only)
Necrosis of scrotum (Burdizzo)
Who is allowed to rubber ring and bloodless castrate using Burdizzo
Competent stock keeper
Purpose to tail dock lambs
Fly strike, reduces shearing time
