# Banding



## SarahFair (Mar 8, 2010)

I came across a deal yesterday and traded some chickens for a 5 month old boar cross billy. 
I deffenetly want to neuter him and want to do it via banding.

I talked to a woman on youtube who had a video of it and she said 5 months is a little old but it is possible and maybe have to do it via cattle bands. 

Has anyone done it to an older goat before?


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## aggieterpkatie (Mar 8, 2010)

SarahFair said:
			
		

> I came across a deal yesterday and traded some chickens for a 5 month old boar cross billy.
> I deffenetly want to neuter him and want to do it via banding.
> 
> I talked to a woman on youtube who had a video of it and she said 5 months is a little old but it is possible and maybe have to do it via cattle bands.
> ...


I've seen it done on older sheep before.  I'd think as long as you can fit the band around the testicles it'd be ok.  You may want to use 2 together just to make sure one doesn't break.  I'd also go ahead and give him CD/T or at least give him a tetanus antitoxin shot when your band him.


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## cmjust0 (Mar 8, 2010)

One that old, I probably wouldn't band.  That's a situation where I'd seriously consider either taking him to the vet to be cut, or at least get a little syringe of Rompum from the vet and cut him at home.  

Well, no, lemme take that back.

To be perfectly honest, I'd _totally_ take him to the vet.  I don't think I'd have the heart to cut one that old, and I doubt I could band him either.


Something else you have to consider is that...well...I'm a guy.


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## SarahFair (Mar 8, 2010)

cmjust0 said:
			
		

> One that old, I probably wouldn't band.  That's a situation where I'd seriously consider either taking him to the vet to be cut, or at least get a little syringe of Rompum from the vet and cut him at home.
> 
> Well, no, lemme take that back.
> 
> ...


I think I could do it here on my own..
When you say cut do you mean cut the testicals off??
I was on another forum and they suggested Masculators?


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## cmjust0 (Mar 8, 2010)

Yep...I'm talking about cutting them off.  Or, cutting them _out_...depending on how you look at it..  Typically, the bottom third of the sack is sliced clean off, then the sack is pushed up over the testes to expose them, and then they're cut off.

My vet has a tool -- not an emasculatome...more on that in a second -- but a tool that cuts the testes off and crushes all the loose ends on the 'upstream' side to prevent the animal from bleeding out so badly.  I'm not sure what the tool is called.

There's also a tool called an emasculatome, which basically crushes the vas deferens and blood supply to the testes.  It's billed as a 'bloodless castrator.'  You might also hear them referred to as 'ritchie nippers.'  The only way to tell if a bloodless castration 'took' is to ensure that the testes stop growing.

Cut, band, or crush...pretty much the three ways of going about it.


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## SarahFair (Mar 8, 2010)

And I can do any of these at home?


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## cadman68 (Mar 8, 2010)

i'd say u could do two out of the three at home, but unless you are very familiar and/or confident with surgical type procedures on animals and have access to some type of pain/anesthesia(local at least) medicene, i would leave the cutting up to a qualified vet. It can be a painful and deadly procedure unless you know what you're doing.


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## SarahFair (Mar 8, 2010)

cadman68 said:
			
		

> i'd say u could do two out of the three at home, but unless you are very familiar and/or confident with surgical type procedures on animals and have access to some type of pain/anesthesia(local at least) medicene, i would leave the cutting up to a qualified vet. It can be a painful and deadly procedure unless you know what you're doing.


Ive had to amputate a chickens wing once and mend dislocated joints...
I think if I did my research I could do it. Im pretty confident in myself when it comes to such things.

I just fear the young goat doesnt trust me much now and he deffenetly wont trust me after 




I really want to go with banding. I dont have a bander though and dont really know who to go to. The tesicals would fill a handfull so Im guessing Im going to have to use cow bands?
Who should I try contacting?


I talked to my SOs cousin who worked at various vets for 5+ years (but has no schooling) and she said its pretty inhumane and only old school vets and farmers do it nowa days. I dont really have a lot of faith in her words though as she has been wrong in the past.


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## cmjust0 (Mar 8, 2010)

SarahFair said:
			
		

> I talked to my SOs cousin who worked at various vets for 5+ years (but has no schooling) and she said its pretty inhumane and only old school vets and farmers do it nowa days. I dont really have a lot of faith in her words though as she has been wrong in the past.


Your SO's cuz is right in terms of how things are trending these days..  Banding seems to be getting a bad rap, though it's still done a whole lot.

Lots of old school farmers band, and my vet will do it if specifically requested...but the vets much prefer cutting.  They say they recover faster if they're cut, versus being banded.

Then again, there are some _old_ old school farmers cut calves right on the farm.  Ya know...because the bands cost money, whereas they already have a pocketknife.


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## SarahFair (Mar 8, 2010)

I think Im just going to look up how to cut here at the house. I have a friend that works down at a local vet office who assits in dogs all the time. Cant be much different right?


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## Ariel301 (Mar 8, 2010)

SarahFair said:
			
		

> I think Im just going to look up how to cut here at the house. I have a friend that works down at a local vet office who assits in dogs all the time. Cant be much different right?


Actually, it's fairly different from how it is done in dogs. I've been to calf castrations where they were cut, and it's definitely a lot more rough than what your dog gets. I've seen calves bleed to death from it--when I would assist ranches in branding/eartagging/castrating, we would lose an average of one out of a hundred calves using that technique. They just never got up off the ground again after being cut, and died after several hours of laying there in misery. I have also been told by lots of people that banding is "inhumane", but having used both the banding and cutting methods...I find the animals seem to be in less pain with the banding.  It's my method of choice. I personally will never castrate an animal by cutting again. With banding, after a short while, the testicles become numb from lack of circulation so they don't hurt so much...but having them cut off with a pocketknife while being awake and not receiving any pain relievers....ouch! Poor little boy animals.  

The method is up to you, but I'd recommend banding over trying to cut him yourself. It's quite a bit safer. You can get cattle elastrators (the banding tool) at livestock supply companies or online...they tend to run $15-20, so it's not a bad investment.


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## currycomb (Mar 8, 2010)

we have done both on goats. i had some little bucks that after they were banded, just went to a cornor and laid down to die. so cut the band off, they jumped up and ran for the feeder! next week we cut them, pulled the testicles till the cord broke, no cutting on the inside parts. when they snap, they seal the blood vessels and the goat is up an eating shortly. they need room to move around, not put up in a stall, so the swelling is minimal. for good measure, like to "cut" on a full moon, that being the sign is right.


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## helmstead (Mar 8, 2010)

You can certainly band an older buck...you just usually need a calf bander instead of a small bander.

The chance of infection is slightly higher, but usually goes without a hitch.  I've banded a 6 month old before and there was not a problem at all.


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## SarahFair (Mar 9, 2010)

Well I dont plan on raising goats..
I just need a couple to clear some pasture. I wouldnt even bother neutering him and just get a wether from a man I know but a neighbor a couple acres over has goats and I dont know if they are nannies. I just dont want him peeing all over himself and causing a stink!

I guess I could always sell the bander...
Or maybe I could find someone with cattle?
Hmm..


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## SarahFair (Mar 9, 2010)

I talked to a guy via email who does hoof trimming for $7. I asked him if he did banding..
He said around $40! 

Is this a total rip off? I feel like I would be paying for his bander twice!


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## aggieterpkatie (Mar 9, 2010)

SarahFair said:
			
		

> I talked to a guy via email who does hoof trimming for $7. I asked him if he did banding..
> He said around $40!
> 
> Is this a total rip off? I feel like I would be paying for his bander twice!


$40 for banding is a total rip off, but you can't blame the guy for making money for services.  

If you're going to pay money like that, you might as well take the goat to a vet and let the vet do it.  Or, you can go spend the $20 for an elastrator and $3 for a bag of 100 bands and do it yourself. I've seen people band 6 month old sheep with the regular small size bands.  You may have to kinda ease the testicles through, but it works.


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## ksalvagno (Mar 9, 2010)

Is there a local goat farm that would be willing to do it? You may have to offer them some money or they may have a price but if you are going to pay around $23 to buy the equipment and never need it again, why not help a local farmer a little and also start a relationship. Then if you have problems, you could call them for help.


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## SarahFair (Mar 9, 2010)

I had some guy on a forum for Georgia outdoors people offer to come do it for free..
Im just really weary about people coming to my house.


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## ksalvagno (Mar 9, 2010)

Why not take the goat to their house and do it in the driveway. If he is another goat breeder, then take the time to see his herd and talk to him about his goats and stuff. I'm always for having another goat person to be able to call locally if you have questions.


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## SarahFair (Apr 12, 2010)

I had my 5 month old goat (at the time) banded about a month ago with a calf band.
His (not so) little sac dried up and its still hanging there. Its hard as a rock and flat, kind of looks like matted hair. The band is still on. Will it fall off in a few weeks or what do I do?

It doesnt seem to bother him at all.


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## dhansen (Apr 12, 2010)

I think the most difficult thing is going to be holding the buckling still to get the band on or emascultor on him.  I guess if you hog tie him it may be possible.


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## SarahFair (Apr 12, 2010)

dhansen said:
			
		

> I think the most difficult thing is going to be holding the buckling still to get the band on or emascultor on him.  I guess if you hog tie him it may be possible.


Well I banded him a month ago..
It took 2 guys to hold him down and 1 more to band him, even though he didnt put a big struggle..

Now Im wondering about the rock hard flat _thing_ hanging off him.


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## aggieterpkatie (Apr 13, 2010)

SarahFair said:
			
		

> dhansen said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


It'll fall off on its own.


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