# Bad Banding Job?



## Stubbornhillfarm (Jul 20, 2011)

We have two steers (maybe) that were banded when they were between 3-4 weeks old.  The person doing the banding felt that both of the testicles had dropped.  Now that the cows are about 14 weeks old, it sure does look and feel like they each have one testicle!  Is is possible that the person banding completely messed up?  Or does it sometimes look like there is something still there?  Any prior experience and knowledge would be helpful.  Thanks in advance!


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## WildRoseBeef (Jul 20, 2011)

It's quite possible that the person did mess up.  One always has to make sure that there are two testes in the sac and that they are pulled down to the base of that sac before putting the little Cheerio ring on.  Sometimes, though, one teste is late in descending down into the scrotum and thus doesn't get banded.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jul 20, 2011)

Oh my goodness!  I assume that you can't reband?


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## WildRoseBeef (Jul 20, 2011)

Oh I think you could, but you'd have to cut the initial band off (being very careful not to cut the skin), then reband again.


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## redtailgal (Jul 20, 2011)

.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jul 20, 2011)

redtailgal,  Yep.  I know...steer.    Well currently, they are apparently still bulls   I hear ya on the terminology!  Yes, the bands are long gone all healed up and all.  They were banded like I said at about 3-4 weeks old.  They are now 14 weeks old.  I kept saying that one of them looked like he still had testicles.  My questioning was ignored.  However, seems that now...I may have been correct.  I don't know a lot about bovines, but some parts of anatomy are pretty recognizable!   I really am hoping that we can reband, but the area that looks like it needs to be removed is tight skin.  Not loose like it once was.  Not sure how that would work.  Thinking they may need to be cut.  We have very few large animal vets in Maine.  Kind of stinks.  That is pretty up close and personal!  Gotta do what you gotta do though huh? Farming life IS great!!

WildRoseBeef,  I sooooo wish that the band was still on there.  I agree cutting it off would be stressful, but it would in my opinion be a better situation than what we have here.


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## redtailgal (Jul 20, 2011)

z


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## kstaven (Jul 21, 2011)

That mistake is more common than many are willing to admit. Banding based on date rather than checking to make sure both have dropped.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jul 21, 2011)

Well....we are just going to bite the bullet!  These two Jersey bulls are of course not traditionally for beef.  However, this is what we have purposed them for.  With that being said, they are going to be around for most likely at least a year and a half.  We want to make sure that they are healthy and growing in the proper fashion.  So...an expensive lesson learned and we will be calling a vet to come out and take a look at them.  I'll let ya'll know what he/she says.  Thanks so much to all of your for your input!  It really is nice to have some resources to give ideas and guidance at the drop of a keystroke.  Be blessed.


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## Goatherd (Jul 22, 2011)

I don't have bovine, but this may apply...

I recently had an adult male goat wethered at my vet's office.  I was with him during the entire procedure and "witnessed" two testicles being removed.  Now, several weeks later and almost completely healed, he looks as if he still is intact.  This may shrink and get smaller in time, but at present, it looks as if nothing was done.
Possibly the banding worked, but you're seeing something similar to what I'm describing?


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## WildRoseBeef (Jul 23, 2011)

Goatherd said:
			
		

> I don't have bovine, but this may apply...
> 
> I recently had an adult male goat wethered at my vet's office.  I was with him during the entire procedure and "witnessed" two testicles being removed.  Now, several weeks later and almost completely healed, he looks as if he still is intact.  This may shrink and get smaller in time, but at present, it looks as if nothing was done.
> Possibly the banding worked, but you're seeing something similar to what I'm describing?


Actually I have heard of this.  There's a certain method of castrating that enables the testicles to be removed but the nut sac stays intact.  This nut sac is called the "cob" and is desirable for show steers.  Using the Burdizzo enables producers to both castrate a bull calf but keeps the scrotum intact.  

When a calf is cut, the scrotum is not removed, just the testicles are.  The sac heals up and remains a little sac (but only that) for the rest of the steer's life.  When the bull is cut when he's older, like when he's already reached puberty, this is definitely possible of the Burdizzo is used on the bull or if he's been cut.


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## herfrds (Jul 23, 2011)

We band our bull calves at birth so doing it at the time you did is not too late or early.
We had one this year that we could not band because he only had one nut down at birth. Checked him again when we branded, he was almost 3 months old and was still a one nutter or as they are called a stag.
Going to check him again when we pull the bulls next week, if they are both there then he will be banded if not he will be left alone and sold as a stag.


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## aggieterpkatie (Jul 24, 2011)

Don't most people just cut off the bottom of the sac when cutting?  That's how we did it for cattle and sheep.  It does leave a little cod, but definitely not as big as a real scrotum.


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## Goatherd (Jul 25, 2011)

> It does leave a little cod, but definitely not as big as a real scrotum.


Yes, you're right.  His scrotum was cut on the bottom and the testes pulled out and cut off.  What is left is definitely smaller than what we started with, but possibly to someone who didn't know he was wethered, would think him an intact buck.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jul 25, 2011)

The vet came out this morning.  Sure enough, one teste remainning in each!  We watched her work, held the steers, etc.  Small incision and both seem to be doing fine.  Feeling good that our heifer will not get pregnant early on accident now.  Thanks to all for your help, suggestions, ect.  The more people you talk to, the more experiences you hear about and the more you learn!


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## dianneS (Jul 25, 2011)

Glad everything worked out well.  My sister had a goat that came to her banded and sure enough, they only got one testicle.  The remaining one descended later.

My uncle did surgery himself with a razor blade and removed the remaining testicle.  The goat healed up just fine but he was always a little more ornery than the other!

I had two goats castrated with the burdizzo and from now on, that's what we'll be using.  It was a once and done brief moment of discomfort and it was all over, they were right back to normal.  They both look like they are still intact, well sort of, they're stuff quite a bit smaller than an intact buck's, but they do have their scrotums.


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## WildRoseBeef (Jul 25, 2011)

aggieterpkatie said:
			
		

> Don't most people just cut off the bottom of the sac when cutting?


Not all.  There are other methods that include cutting a slit parallel to the scrotum (or perpendicular to the ground) for each testicle, then popping the testicle out to either cut it or use the emasculator on it (that's a tool the crushes the spermatic cord and blood vessels above the testicle).  The vet I worked for uses this method of castration.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jul 25, 2011)

Yes, this vet made a very small cut (maybe 1-1 1/2 inches)  parallel and used the emasculator on one and on the other (sorry squeemish people), she pulled and essentially ripped the testicle out.  Sounds barbarick I know, but in reality, the one with the emasculator bled much more than the other one.  She wanted to show us the difference for future refference, knowing that we at some point may need/want to do this ourselves.  I am definately learning that like most aspects of raising animals, there are many ways to "get the job done" and it for the most part seems to be what makes the most sense for you or the particular situation.


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## herfrds (Jul 26, 2011)

You know if you skin them and make a beer batter and fry the nuts they are pretty good.


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## redtailgal (Jul 27, 2011)

.


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## herfrds (Jul 27, 2011)

Yeah some people don't like them, but if done right they are really good. Must not have skinned them.


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## Stubbornhillfarm (Jul 27, 2011)

These little fellas would have been a waste of good beer batter!


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