Eversole recommends having a second person pull the bull’s tail over its topline to limit pain. The high-tension bander uses a ratcheting mechanism to tighten the band. The device has a tension indicator that alerts you when the proper tension is reached. You will then cut the band, which in turn secures a clip to hold the rubber tubing together. “The calf will lay down for two to three hours after the procedure. PHOTO 1: Advocates for banding say the process creates less stress and pain for a calf than cut-castration. Along with banding, there are several other effective methods of castration that may better suit your bull calf if it is too difficult to band him or if he is too old or heavy to safely band. Banding It’s doable, but not recommended. The younger you band a calf, the safer and more effective the operation is going to be. Banding a yearling can lead to many issues.

Banders designed for bigger cattle that use tubing and is stretched around the scrotum and then secured with a clip.” John Androlewicz, a 29-year-old who owns 50 cow-calf pairs in northeast Idaho, started out at age 20 doing what everyone else was doing – cutting their calves. He has since switched to banding. The elastrator uses “green bands that look like a little green donut,” says Whittier. Elastrators typically can be found as having either three or four prongs over which you will place the band. Elastrators are to be used on smaller calves. Bigger calves won’t go off feed when the banding method is utilized,” states Eversole. He continues, “The key is making sure you have enough pressure to cut off all blood flow. If nothing has happened to the scrotum after three weeks, you haven’t done it right, but this is not very common.” “It is imperative you provide for tetanus protection, especially when you are banding larger calves,” Whittier says. Older and larger calves aren’t recommended for use with the ‘elastrator’. Instead, specialized large cattle banders are used, such as EZE and Callicrate castrators. They employ tougher latex bands in place of rubber rings.These banders are similar to the elastrator but differ in that they have the ability to castrate calves up to approximately 650 pounds. “These banders stretch continuous bands over the scrotum. Use only bands recommended for the specific tool,” Whittier says. If you haven’t already, be sure to sign up for free updates! Farm-fresh, homesteading goodness delivered straight to your inbox every week- sign up Here.

If you only plan to castrate calves under 250 lbs, the no-frills 2005 PRM Castrate Bander is an effective yet inexpensive way to get the job done. So he won’t try to breed his mama. If you have limited space and your bull is in the same pasture with his mom, you could have a problem when he’s about 11 months old. You may want to either separate him from mama or be sure he doesn’t have any working male parts. Young calves can be castrated as early as the first day of life. But, traditionally, castration is held off until weaning when the calf is around 6 months old. It’s believed that the calf would grow faster when it’s castrated at 6 months compared to when it’s 1 or 3 months of age. Banding is most definitely a painful and stressful experience for the animal. Many studies suggest that out of the three popular physical castration techniques, banding may be the most painful for the bull. The concentration of “pain chemicals” in the animal is a lot higher after banding than after either Burdizzo or surgical castration.Dr. Robert Larson, a professor in the college of veterinary medicine at Kansas State University, says people band to avoid making the calf bleed. But even though there is less risk of bleeding, there is still the risk of infection when the band cuts into the first layer of skin. Compared to surgical castration, banding with this PRM tool is much more humane and cheaper. The bander is made of aluminum, which is lightweight (11.8 pounds) and less prone to weather forces and moisture than stainless-steel ones. This material is also easy to sanitize, thus reducing the risk of infection in bulk banding. Pros An incision is made to open up the skin of the scrotum. Then, the testicles are pulled through the incision. Therefore, we recommend castrating the calf when they’re as young as possible (less than 3 months). It will be better for their overall welfare and performance. Castration Pain

FYI: These are pics intermingled from 2 different bandings. You are about to see some cow balls. 4 of them. WHEN TO BAND A CALF Three tools are used during the surgical castration process: a Newberry knife, a scalpel, and an emasculator. Prior to the operation, the animal is often treated with local anesthesia and a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug to ease the pain. Compared to physical techniques, chemical castration takes more time and skill. The healing time is also longer, too. It may take the calf twice as long to recover from a chemical castration operation. Hormonal Technique Older caves are more at risk of contracting illnesses and dying after castration. Additionally, the lower gains in live weight after castration will pose a problem to overall productivity. For sheep, goats and swine, two (2) doses of 0.5 mL each. The interval between doses should be approximately 30 days. Revaccinate all animals retained for breeding and those held beyond the normal marketing period annually. Use the full dose as recommended above.

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The Henderson tool was developed in cattle and twists the cord to create trauma (releases clotting factors) and hemostasis. Castrating animals is just another part of farm life that isn’t fun but must be done. Is it humane? A brave soul. Unfortunately, I have been lead-bander around our homestead for years. DH is stronger, so he usually holds the calf still. I get the lovely duty of dealing with balls. One of the key considerations when selecting the best cattle bander for your needs is whether you plan to castrate only calves, bulls, or both. The answer will depend on the age and size of the bull as well as the environment. Generally speaking, the testicles will fall off after 10 to 50 days. 3. Can you band a year-old bull?

In many countries, it’s required by law that you must administer anesthesia during the procedure and analgesics afterward. FAQs 1. Does banding a bull hurt? While the method sounds painful, the pain level is actually lower than surgical and elastic band castration when it’s done in concert with local anesthesia. Usually, a non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug is applied to alleviate pain further, too. This bander is very simple to use, so long as you have an extra pair of hands or more to help you secure and stabilize the animal you’re trying to band. This helps to avoid undue injuries. Keep an eye on calves after banding. Problems at this age are rare. Once in awhile, there may be a hernia. Infections in small calves are almost unheard of. Be sure of no swelling and that the calf is acting normal,” says Whittier. He adds, “the calf will lay around for 10 to 15 minutes. This should be over in half an hour. Give the calf attention if it continues to remain uncomfortable.” Intermediate banders Whatever the case, you can band at 2 weeks or 4 months & he will probably be fine. BAND AT THE RIGHT LOCATION IN THE RIGHT POSITION

Speed up your branding process

Which is in itself hilarious to me… but has new meaning now that Deadpool has a band around his scrotum.