You would think he's dying. (but I know he isn't) Banding my goats.

[rochelle~loves~goats]

I meant casterated/cut off! The vet does it that way, they put them to sleep? Stitches? How does this work? I have him & his brother separated from my 4 month old females right now & geez you might know the girls gotta strut & back up right by their noses! Nasty lil girls!

 

[misfitmorgan]

They are not being nasty it is pure instinct....that is how they should act if they were not acting that way in heat the n iwould be concerned because it would mean something was wrong with them.

Yes Vets can castrate by cutting them off. It varies by vet but yes most will put them to sleep and cut them off just like a dog or cat. Not sure on the stitches part i would think not because they would not want to trap infection. Call and ask your vet...info and price varies by vet i have heard of some vets doing it for $40-50 and others charging $200-300.

 

[farmerjan]

Suggestion; we use a callicrate bander on the calves now. Have done the little bands on young stuff, and knife cut and have had the vet knife cut some and have had some nearly bleed to death- doing under the wrong "sign". Have found that the callicrate bander does it quick, cuts off the circulation alot quicker than the small bands, it cranks it tighter, quicker, and they will go back to eating quicker. After a week you can get them in, cut the sac off below the band and done, doesn't get too smelly, or just let them fall off. This way you can do larger/older animals. You HAVE TO GIVE CALVES a TETANUS shot before, don't known the procedure for goats but I believe you give ANTI-TETANUS to the sheep. Yes they will lay around- HELL IT HURTS anyone ever grab you by the balls ????? The reason we try to do alot of the calves a little older is the testosterone in an intact male helps them to grow faster and put on more weight which is "free" weight gain as opposed to a steer. We do not implant any steers so why not gain more growth the natural way. Don't know about doing an older intact billy, I would probably get the vet . We have done bulls up to 700-800 lbs but we have the facilities to do them. Older than that they go to the stockyards. For the goats, which are more pets that a 1500 lb bull, I would get the vet.

 

[misfitmorgan]

Goats and Sheep both get CDT usually...two doses as indicated on the bottle.

 

[farmerjan]

Goats and Sheep both get CDT usually...two doses as indicated on the bottle.

I knew that y'all would know more about the shots etc. but just wanted you to know about the callicrate bander - the big bander as we call it- as it is touted for the bigger jobs,can't use it on the little ones. Have had alot of problems with cutting although I know lots of people who would only cut...whatever works for each person. If we can't do them little, we wait til 3-600 lbs and do them when it suits to get them in.

 

[Goat Whisperer]

Have done the little bands on young stuff, and knife cut and have had the vet knife cut some and have had some nearly bleed to death- doing under the wrong "sign".

Oh my goodness, that is awful!
I always cut my bucklings, and have never had this issue before. My vet would always cut the calves and never had an issue.
Do you mind talking about the procedure?
Did the testicles get pulled or cut off?

 

[farmerjan]

Haven't cut any calves in 20+ years so it is no longer an issue but I think that they were pulled (?). I honestly don't remember but I took them back to the vet the next day, still oozing blood and told them that if I lost any i would sue since they obviously hadn't done something right. Have several neighbor beef farmers that all cut their calves, don't believe in banding...I don't want to deal with the blood, flies etc. I do pay attention to the "sign" although I am not a fanatic, but always have the least problems, little or no trouble with anyone going off feed or laying around if I wait til the sign is in the thighs going down to the feet. Also NEVER band or cut or dehorn or anything coming up to a full moon, always wait til it is going from last quarter to new moon. We also raise show poultry and the game chickens; NO WE DO NOT RAISE FIGHTING BIRDS, ONLY SHOW PUREBREDS and mostly bantams; we never ever dub them unless it's near the new moon, due to excessive bleeding. Since it is a requirement for the males for show, for that class of birds, we do it.

As for the callicrate bander, they are available at most farm supply stores and I think you can probably find them online and see the video. The bands cost about 3.00 each but it has a ratchet type applicator that pulls it very very tight and the circulation is cut off very quickly and usually the calves we do, are back at the feeder or grazing or eating hay in half hour or less and they forget it was ever done. They might lay around and kick for a few minutes...but I have seen baby lambs that were banded and the tails done too and they carry on for hours, and cry like they are dying. We don't have to worry about flies in the summer or anything, I usually keep them around where I can watch them for 24-48 hours and get them in and if the testicles are "cold" feeling, them you know the blood supply is cut off. Many times we have done them and 5-7 days later gotten them in and sliced the "dead sac" off just below the band and then they don't get smelly and gross waiting to fall off. In the winter they just fall off whenever but usually within 2 weeks or so. Have only had 1 band break and found a bull when we were expecting all steers in one group...just redid him and in a week cut off the sac and sent him on with the group. Gotta make sure you get both testicles through the band but that is necessary with all banders, and the little ones often retract them up and you can miss them. When they are bigger/older that doesn't happen as often.

 

[Georgia Girl]

I just cut the bucklings. Very simple and fast.

At what age do you do this?