CASTRATION

Definition: any action (surgical, chemical, hormonal), by which an animal loses use of the testicles;
castration rendered sterile Testicles may be removed surgically or killed by obstructing the blood
supplycommon management tool in the beef cattle sector for many reasons, including to:Stop the
production of male hormonesPrevent unplanned matingDecrease aggression to enhance on-farm safety
for handlers and animalsObtain price premiums and/or avoid price discounts from feedlots and meat
packersProduce meat with a consistent quality acceptable to consumers (i.e. higher grade, better
marbling)Decrease costs of managing bulls (i.e. larger, stronger facilities).
INSTRUMENT USED FOR CASTRATION

1. Burdizzo Emasculatome

FUNCTION. To perform a bloodless castration in a large animal.

CHARACTERISTICS Blunt jaws that have a double-action wrenching device crush the blood vessel
and spermatic cord through the skin of the testicle.

Advantages
• The method is bloodless.
• Infection or maggot infestation seldom occurs.

2.Elastrator

FUNCTION. To perform a bloodless castration or tail dock on a large animal.

CHARACTERISTICS This instrument has pegs; a thick rubber band can be placed around them. The
handles are squeezed to stretch the rubber band so that it goes around the testicle or tail.

Advantages

• Calves are handled easily and little labour is involved.

• It is a bloodless method.

3.Open wound castration (emasculator or knife)

Before the operation, the person doing the operation must wash his hands well, the instruments must
be boiled and the scrotum disinfected thoroughly with iodine or another suitable disinfectant.• Apply
antibiotic powder to prevent infection,and a fly repellent.A sharp knife is used to remove the lower third
of the scrotum, and each testicle is removed from its supporting membranes. Do not remove too little of
the scrotum otherwise it will not drain well.
Advantage

• Castration is irreversible because the testicles are removed.

4.Short scrotum method

Rubber rings are used to hold the testicles in the body cavity after they have been pushed up.This means
that the testicles continue to produce hormones but do not produce live sperm.Be careful to push the
testicles well up into the body cavity before putting on the rings otherwise some live sperm may be
produced.

Advantage

When this method is used the calves will grow into sterile bulls with better growth and feed conversion
rates than steers, but may have behaviour problems (lively, aggressive).
TYPES OF CASTRATION

Two methods available in bovine.

 open method: the testes are removed completel

 closed method: the spermatic cord is crushed and the testes left to atroph.

 Open castration
The scrotum is disinfected with iodine, and a vertical incision is made through skin and fascia at
lower half of each side of the scrotum .Each testicle is grasped and pulled down one at a time to
the site of incision.The spermatic cord is ligated or emasculator is used the incision is not
sutured to allow drainage. After emasculation the remaining fatty tissue is removed.

PROCEDURES

I. Wash and clean your hands and the surgical equipment using an antiseptic solution.

II.Make sure the scrotum is clean and prepare the incision site. Make the incision to open the
skin of the scrotum.

III. Pull the testicles through the incision and separate the testicles from the thin and tough
membrane that covers it.

IV. The remaining tough cord contains artery and veins and the spermatic cord.

V. In older calves use the emasculator to cut both the blood vessels and the spermatic cord but
in younger calves it is common to separate blood vessels from vas deferens.

ADVANTAGES

I. The method is effective since testicles are removed.

II. Surgical wounds heal quickly.

DISADVANTAGES

I. Bleeding is a risk

II. High risk of infection because of the open wounds.

III. There is a risk to injury to the surgeon during the procedure

IV. There's a greater reduction in weight gain after castration.

 Closed castration:

Elastic band a rubber ring is introduced with the elastrator at the neck of the scrotum on a less
than 3 wks old calf.The elastic band obstructs blood flow to the testicles & scrotum. In time the scrotum
and testicles

The burdizzo is efficient in animals of one month old and above. It works by crushing the blood
vessels thus interrupt the blood supply to the testicles and thus kill the testicles.

PROCEDURES

I. Find the spermatic cord on one side of the scrotum. The spermatic cord runs from the
testicles into the animal's body and can easily move from side to side in its half of the
scrotum.II. Pinch the spermatic cord to the outside edge of the scrotum between thand
forefinger.

. Position the burdizzo correctly for crushing. One jaw of the burdizzo has projections at each
end to prevent the spermatic cord from slipping out of the burdizzo.

IV. Place the jaw with the projections on the front side of the scrotum

V. Include only the part of the scrotum that contains the spermatic cord between the jaws of
the burdizzo and should be placed just above 1-1.5cm the top of the testicles.
 VI. Close the burdizzo up to 10 seconds and
check to be sure the spermatic cord is
between the jaws of burdizzo.

VII. Release the burdizzo and move to the

new site 1 cm below the first site to minimize
acute pain from the second crush.

VIII. Repeat the same procedures on the opposite side. NB the crush lines should not overlap
the center line of scrotum.

ADVANTAGES
I. The process is bloodless since does involve cuts.
II. With this method, there's less chance of infections.
DISADVANTAGES
I. Equipment becomes ineffective after long-term use and must be replaced.
II.The spermatic cord may slip and therefore be crushed incomplete and the blood flow
will continue.

II. ELASTIC BAND

The elastic band cutts off the blood supply which will result in killing of the testicles. The
instrument used for banding is the ELASTRATOR

THE ELASTRATOR

Is the tool used to apply an elastic band to the neck of the scrotum. The band obstruct blood
flow to the testicles and scrotum finally fall from the body. The method is efficient in calves less
than 3 weeks.

PROCEDURES
I. Pull both testicles into the scrotum,a muscle attached to each scrotum will be pulling against
you.

II.Put the rubber band on ELASTRATOR,hold it with the sprongs up. Close the handles to open
the band.

III. With the calf standing and both testicles in scrotum, stretch the ring open and slip the open
band up over scrotum.

IV. Release the band just above the top of the testicles,not at the base of the scrotum.

V. Check to be sure both testicles are still in the top of the scrotum and ring is placed properly.

VI. Remove the ELASTRATOR from under band

NB;Use the elastic ring purchased within 12 month to avoid breakage. The ring must be strong
enough to cut off blood flow ,if not the scrotum will swell.

ADVANTAGES

I. The method is bloodless

II.It is easier to perform it.

III.It is useful for missed testicles.

DISADVANTAGES

I. Wounds heal slowly

II.Band may break and thus disrupt blood circulation

 III. Large lesions may form above the band
and last for long making the band
inappropriate for yearling cattle.

 IMMUNOCASTRATION

Is based on immunological blocking of the

signal from GnRh thus decrease the secretion
on LH and FSH and testicular steroids. The
method is reversible.

ADVANTAGES

I. The method is bloodless and painless

DISADVANTAGES

I. The method is not much effective

II. It is a temporary method.