Owners of small farms and peasant farms engaged in animal husbandry castration of bulls is carried out in order to exclude cases of insemination by bulls with low sperm quality of their highly productive cows. Castrated bulls are better fattened, the meat obtained as a result of slaughter becomes more tender and tasty. Castrated bulls become less dangerous for service personnel and less aggressive.

It is better to castrate bulls intended for fattening at 2-3 months of age, and for work at 1.5-2 years. It is not recommended to carry out castration in the hot and cold seasons.

The castration of a bull begins with commits. The operation is performed by a veterinarian on a lying or standing animal. When performing an operation on a lying bull, it is knocked down on the left side, using one of the knockdown methods, in which the right pelvic limb is pulled up so that the operation site is well open for the veterinary specialist. The remaining three limbs are left unfixed. The exception is old and strong bulls, in which the chest limbs are tied together above the fetlock. In the second case (when young bulls are castrated), the animals are tied shortly to a post, and the head is fixed with nasal forceps.

For better fixation of the bull, a shin twist is additionally applied to the pelvic limb. Additionally, the bull can be distracted by giving a small portion of food.

Anesthesia. When castrating bulls at the age of one year or more, castration is best done with the use of anesthesia. Anesthesia is done in the same way as in stallions (), either direct anesthesia of the spermatic cord is used - from the side of the posterior neck of the scrotum, or intratesticular injection. Additionally, infiltration is carried out with a 0.5% solution of novocaine along the incision line.

In veterinary medicine, there are two main methods of castration of bulls: bloody and bloodless (percutaneous).

bloody method. There are several variants of this method, which differ not only in technical performance, but also in the result obtained from the castration of the animal.

Castration with ligature(for ligature). At this method the veterinarian, having grasped the scrotum with its contents, pulls it back between the thighs and makes a vertical incision on the caudal or lateral side of the scrotum along the entire length of the testis. During this operation, the veterinarian opens all layers of the scrotum and the common vaginal membrane. In the lower part of the resulting wound, it dissects the vaginal ligament and then proximally breaks the mesentery to the level of the thinned section of the spermatic cord, separating it from the latter. After that, a strong ligature of silk thread No. 8-10 or a synthetic thread of the corresponding thickness is applied to the thinned part of the spermatic cord, tying it with a castration knot. Then, 2-2.5 cm lower from the ligature, the spermatic cord crosses with scissors. The resulting stump is lubricated with an iodine solution, and the edges of the wound are covered with a disinfectant ointment (iodoform, creolin, lysol). Smelly ointments are especially recommended in the warm season so that flies do not sit on the wound.

Resection of the tail of the appendage deprives the bull only of the ability to produce and secrete germ cells while maintaining hormonal function. This method is essentially sexual sterilization.

The operation is performed on a standing animal. After careful asepsis of the skin of the scrotum, especially in the bottom area, the veterinarian with his left hand pulls it down along with the testicles. In this case, the skin folds of the scrotum should completely straighten out. Perpendicular to the suture of the scrotum, directly to the left and right of it, the layers of the bottom of the scrotum are dissected along with the common vaginal membrane. The length of the incision on each side is 1.5-2 cm. Then the veterinarian with a light pressure on the testes through the wound alternately squeezes out the tails of the appendages and cuts them off with scissors. The circle of the resulting wounds is lubricated with a solution of iodine. The wound is healing well. Bulls castrated by this method are kept separately from cows.

Bloodless (percutaneous) method carried out by mechanical action on the spermatic cords.

Percutaneous crushing of the spermatic cords aims to stop the blood supply and innervation of the testes. To castrate a bull with this method, the veterinarian needs one of the following tools: Burdizzo forceps, K.G. Golensky and I.A. Glushko, I.A. Telyatnikova, M.A. Khanina.

Castration is performed in the following way: the veterinarian grabs the neck of the scrotum with his left hand, gropes for the spermatic cord of one of the sides. After that, pulling it laterally, the branches of Burdizzo or Golensky-Glushko forceps are applied to its contour, the spermatic cord is squeezed through the skin and the forceps are held for 0.5-1 min, after which the forceps are moved distally by 1.5-2 cm and the spermatic cord is crushed again. Then they move on to another spermatic cord. For the best use of forceps Golensky - Glushko use a special fixator of the spermatic cord.

With forceps Telyatnikov (model No. 2) and Khanin, the cord is usually squeezed only once, applying them as close as possible to the testis (within the vascular cone). We place the cord moved to the edge of the neck of the scrotum between the jaws of the forceps, after which we quickly squeeze their handles with both hands and hold for at least 5 seconds. The crunch felt at the same time indicates a rupture of the spermatic cord. Only in the absence of a crunch, the forceps are moved 1.5-2 cm higher. The veterinarian does the same on the other side. At the place where the forceps were applied, between the ends of the spermatic cord, a depression is felt, and then after 10-15 minutes a hematoma the size of an acorn or a walnut appears at this place.

A month later, when weighing the bulls, the result of castration must be checked: if the testicles have not decreased, then the operation must be repeated.

Bulls castrated percutaneously compared with those in which the testicles were removed completely, with good conditions feeding and maintenance have a greater weight gain (by 8-17%), and the carcass itself weighed 6-10% more with less feed consumption (by 5-10%).

Castration, if it is really needed, should be done before puberty, but not earlier than at the age of 6-6.5 months. If rushed with this procedure, it will slow down the growth of bulls at the very phase when they begin to quickly build muscle. But it’s not worth delaying with castration either, because at the age of a year bulls reach puberty and it will be much more difficult to cope with them.

Castration should be carried out in the spring, before the animals are put out to pasture. If by this time the age of the bull has not exceeded 2 months, its castration is postponed until the next year - for the autumn period.

Advantages of castration

The meat of castrated bulls contains 1.5-2 times more fat than non-castrated; it is tender and juicy. The taste qualities of such meat are much better expressed. In addition, after castration, the body of the animals develops more proportionally, the skeleton is lighter, and the lower back and hips are better executed.

What if you don't castrate?

However, at equal conditions fattening in terms of weight gain and payment for feed, castrati are inferior to bulls. Full-fledged bulls spend 0.5-1.3 feed units less per kilogram of weight gain than castrates. Gobies have leaner meat. The cessation of the influence of sex hormones in castrates sharply reduces the intensity of metabolic processes. As a result, increased fat formation occurs and the growth of other tissues slows down. Therefore, in the meat of castrates, the fat content is higher than in the meat of bulls. However, the meat of a young uncastrated bull is much tougher than the meat of castrates.

In order to increase the weight of the animal in meat farms, castration of bulls is often carried out. It is advisable to do this while the animal is still at a young age. In this case, surgery is easier and painless. Adults after removal of the testicles can get sick for a long time or get complications. There are other indications for this operation. When we are talking about a specific disease, they no longer look at the age of the cattle, but simply provide the necessary assistance.

There may be several answers to the question of why bulls should be castrated. The most common reasons are:

medical indications, for example, with scrotal hernia, varicose veins of the spermatic cord, chronic orchitis, periorchitis, as well as in case of injuries in the testis;
raising animals for household needs, in order to create a hardy individual;
fattening bulls for meat.

In the issue of castration of animals, there are a number of contraindications for the operation. These include: certain diseases, inappropriate age, and times when the farm is closed for quarantine.

As a way to increase the mass of the animal

Castration of bulls leads to the fact that irreversible changes occur in the body of animals. After removal of the genitals, they become sluggish, which contributes to weight gain. An important difference between such a bull is a calm disposition. It is much easier to handle and keep neutered animals. They no longer participate in the fight for the female, which protects them from injuries received in the process of fighting.

As practice shows, the meat of castrated bulls is tastier, softer and more tender. It has a small fat layer and does not have a specific smell at all, unlike the meat of an animal with normal sexual functions. It is these reasons that make farmers carry out such operations in the herd, so that consumers can get the most delicious and tender meat.

Making oxen from bulls

Ox is the common name for castrated bulls, which is still considered relevant to this day. Some time ago, it was impossible to do without oxen on the farm, because with their help all the hard work was done. Harnessing ordinary bulls and making them work in the fields is quite difficult, because such animals have a tough temper.

For this reason, only castrated individuals were taken for hard work. These animals are calmer, obey the owner better and can work longer than bulls that have retained their reproductive function. Yes, and farmers preferred not to bring breeding bulls into the fields, the main function of which was to fertilize cows.

At present, “ox labor” has been preserved on small farms. Today, farmers castrate outbred individuals, because using an ox to transport goods over short distances is much more efficient than using a tractor or truck.

Pros and cons of sterilization treatment

Some diseases of the genital organs in male cattle are not treatable. And, if the bull is not castrated in a timely manner, then it can simply die. Veterinarians recommend this option only in extreme cases, when other treatments no longer work.

If a breeding bull becomes seriously ill, this is a big nuisance for the breeder. The owners have to completely change plans for him, since this specimen will no longer be able to participate in breeding. In such cases, a decision is made to sterilize the animal. However, this is not always a disaster, as it may initially seem.

A castrated individual can be fattened for meat and thereby cover the cost of a new sire. Thus, farmers have the opportunity to infuse “new blood” into the herd, which is a plus.

Choosing the right moment

The first thing to do is to choose the right time for the operation. Firstly, it is not recommended to carry out it in hot weather, since the wound from the incision may not heal well or the bull will even begin to sepsis. But strong cold for such a procedure is not the best helper. Optimally - choose cool weather without sudden changes in temperature.

Secondly, it is important not to miscalculate the age of the bull you are going to operate on. If you are raising an animal for fattening, then the procedure is best done before he is 8 months old. Later castration of bulls in an open way can lead to the fact that the cattle will begin to lose weight.

The best age for operating a bull is 2-3 months, if you are going to let him in for meat. If you want to raise a bullock, then castration is carried out at the age of 1.5 to 2 years.

Preoperative animal preparation

The first thing to do is prepare the tools. To castrate cattle, you must have: a scalpel, silk thread, gauze, 5% iodine solution, water, a razor and medical gloves.

Now it is worth immobilizing the bull itself so that it does not harm either itself or the doctor. If the mother of the calf is nearby, then she must also be tightly tied so that she does not interfere.

The genitals of the animal before the operation must be thoroughly washed in order to prevent infection. To do this, use warm water, since the cold liquid will additionally injure the bull.

After the operated area is washed, the place where the incision will be made must be shaved. Then, it is treated with iodine solution, and the skin of the scrotum is stretched. Now you can castrate.

It is not recommended to administer painkillers to young individuals. If the operation is performed on animals whose age is more than 1.5 years, then such a procedure is necessary. It can be done in several ways.

The first option is general anesthesia for the animal. Its official name is "Russian method". This method is often used on farms, since you do not have to keep the animal, and the doctor can perform the operation alone. True, general anesthesia can have a number of consequences, therefore, if possible, it is recommended that animals be given local anesthesia.

In the case of local anesthesia, it is important to observe the correct dosage and clearly monitor where the injection is given. For anesthesia during castration, 5 ml of a 4% solution of novocaine is injected into both edges. The injection is placed 7–12 centimeters above the testis.

Methods for fixing bulls

If an adult is castrated and general anesthesia is used, then there will be no problems with immobilizing the animal. If representatives of young cattle are operated on, or they decide to use local anesthesia during the operation, then it is necessary to immobilize the cattle using any of the known methods.

The immobilization option is considered popular when the bull remains in a standing position. To prevent the animal from moving, it is necessary to tie the horns on one side, and press it against the wall on the other. True, this method is effective only when working with calves.

If an adult bull is operated on, then it is recommended to throw it on its side. In this case, the first assistant securely presses the head of the animal to the floor. The second one binds the limbs in such a way that the upper hind leg is directed towards the head and tied to the body through the neck, and the rest of the legs are connected.

Do not forget that both your safety and his health depend on how securely you fix the bull before castration.

Surgery process

After the preparatory procedures are completed, the operation itself begins. Armed with a scalpel, it is necessary to make an incision near the base from the side of the abdomen. It is important to make a sharp and deep enough incision to capture both the skin and the sheath. It should be of such a size that it is convenient to pull out the testis.

After the incision is made, the testicle is pulled to the maximum possible length. The shell is carefully peeled off. Now, it remains to cut off the transition ligament and make a castration loop.

It is important that the loop is located as far away from the testis as possible. A similar procedure is performed with the second testicle.

Keep in mind that a beginner should not carry out the operation on their own. It should be done by a veterinarian or livestock breeder with similar experience. A person who does not have such experience can only act as an assistant, following the doctor's orders.

Castration loop: algorithm of actions

The castration loop is an important step in such an operation as the sterilization of bulls. It is necessary to follow the rules so that the procedure goes without problems, and the wound heals without complications. The algorithm of actions is as follows:

loop a silk thread around the appendage;
circle the end of the thread near the tail of the appendage again and lower it into the first loop;
tighten the thread until a white edge is formed;
for insurance, make a third loop;
cut off the appendage and testis below the place where the knot is tied;
cauterize the cut-off place with iodine solution;
after making sure that the incision has stopped bleeding, cut off unnecessary threads;
sew up the incision, and treat the edges of the wound with iodine solution.

Postoperative period

The easiest way to prevent this is to use special deterrent drugs. After the operation, it is necessary to remove the old bedding, clean and process the stall, pour in fresh sawdust.

Careful observation of the bull is recommended within three days of castration. During this period, a small bleeding from the wound is normal. The main thing is to watch so that inflammation does not start. If you notice swelling, profuse bleeding or inflammatory reactions, you should urgently contact your veterinarian.

Sterilization of bulls in a bloodless way

The advantage of the bloodless method is that the castrated bull feels much better. The operation can be carried out in the heat, and the risk of infection is significantly reduced. The bloodless castration procedure is as follows:

the seed canthus is palpated and forceps are placed on its neck;
the edging is pushed to the outer wall of the scrotum and placed between the branches;
now it is squeezed by reducing the handles of the tongs;
to achieve maximum effect, the procedure is repeated again, moving 2.5 centimeters.

After such an operation, the testes atrophy themselves, after 2-3 weeks. You can notice this by the fact that their size is significantly reduced. True, it is extremely dangerous to carry out an operation without specialized knowledge, you can harm the bull. Therefore, you need to contact a veterinarian who will control the entire course of the procedure.

Using a rubber ring

An option that is often used for bloodless castration is the imposition of a rubber ring on the scrotum. By placing an attribute on the genitals of a bull, you provoke numbness. After a certain time, the supply of blood and other substances to the testes is completely stopped, they atrophy and fall off.

Farmers castrate animals in this way due to the fact that it is relevant at any time of the year. But, castration with a rubber ring has its own danger - the animal may develop tetanus. The advantage is that the animals experience only a little short-term pain.

Do not forget that castration itself is stressful for the animal, and if the operation is done incorrectly, you can greatly harm the bulls. Therefore, it is always better to trust all such procedures to experienced specialists, and not to try to do it yourself.

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Castration of farm animals causes a lot of controversy between opponents of this procedure and its advocates. Today we will try to figure it out on our own, using the example of castration of bulls and calves.

Castration is an operation to remove the reproductive organs. In male farm animals, the testicles are removed. After castration in animals, a number of changes in the body are observed. A castrated bull gains body weight faster, its skeleton is much more powerful than that of an unoperated animal of the same age group.

A castrated bull gains body weight faster, its skeleton is much more powerful

Such a bull is distinguished by a calm disposition and does not receive injuries (which require treatment) in the fight for a female. The meat obtained from such a bull is softer, tastier, with a delicate fatty layer and does not have a specific smell. Such a bull in the common people is called an ox. In the past, oxen were widely used by people in draft work.

This procedure is indicated if the bull is not interesting in terms of breeding. This eliminates the possibility of insemination of the cow with low-grade semen.

It is better to participate in castration as an assistant and see how a more experienced person conducts it.

If you are new to this business, it is better to first participate in castration with an assistant and see how a more experienced person conducts it. If you want to learn everything yourself, follow the rules of asepsis and antisepsis so as not to bring an infection into the wound.

Castration is carried out surgically, in an open way (that is, with a dissection of the vaginal membrane).

First you need to choose the time of the operation. It should not be hot outside, as this will contribute to the development of infection in the animal. Also, castration of bulls is carried out, the sooner the better. After the eighth month, there is a risk that the bull will lose weight after the procedure. This will negatively affect meat productivity.

Castration is performed surgically.

To carry out this operation, we need:

scalpel;
silk thread (it is desirable to dip it in iodine before the operation);
a piece of gauze;
tincture of iodine 5%;
a bucket of water;
razor;
latex gloves (you can do without them, but you need to disinfect your hands well, cut your nails, treat the nail bed alcohol tincture iodine).

First of all, we tie the mother of the bull, as she can be anxious and cause you inconvenience. Then we proceed to the bull itself. You can throw him on his side or castrate him while standing.

In the first case, you will need two assistants: one holds the head (if the bull raises it, he can kick you!), the other assistant pulls the hind limb, which is on top, towards the head and fixes it securely with a rope.

Remember, reliable fixation is the key to your safety!

You can throw him on his side or castrate him while standing.

Reliable fixation is the guarantee of your safety

Thoroughly wash the genitals with soap and water

Thoroughly wash the genitals with soap and water. It is advisable to take warm water in order not to disturb the animal once again. The surface where we will make an incision is carefully shaved with a razor and treated with an alcohol tincture of iodine. We stretch the skin of the scrotum.

The incision is made parallel to the suture of the scrotum, closer to the base. It is done from the side of the abdomen (so that the dirt from the infection does not get into the wound). We take a scalpel and cut through the skin and the common vaginal membrane with one sharp movement.

The incision must be large enough for the testis to come out through. We stretch the testis as much as possible (at this time the animal can be very worried). We release the spermatic cord from the vaginal membrane, cut the transitional ligament (how the white vaginal membrane is attached to the testis).

We impose a castration loop as far as possible from the testis. It is done simply:

Take the thread and circle around the appendage so that a loop forms.
Then circle the end of the thread near the tail of the appendage a second time, lower the end into the first loop, and tighten until a white edge appears.
On top, for your own peace of mind, throw another knot (to be sure, you can also impose a surgical loop a little higher).
Then the appendage with the testis is cut off 1.5 cm lower from the node. The thread should remain in the hands, with a knot on the stump.
We cauterize the stump with iodine. After making sure that the stump does not bleed, cut off the unnecessary ends of the threads. At this time, the stump should quickly hide inside.
Don't stitch the wound. The edges of the wound are treated with an alcoholic solution of iodine.

Take a thread and circle around the appendage so that a loop forms

On top, for your own peace of mind, throw another knot

Then the appendage with the testis is cut off 1.5 cm lower from the node

The same procedure is repeated with the second testis.

After the procedure, you can treat the perineum with terramycin (be sure to spray inside to avoid infection). If there is no terramycin at hand, you can pour 1 tbsp into each half. streptocide and knead well, squeezing out the remaining blood. After that, the bull can be released.

The animal should be observed for three days for signs of inflammation. Drip bleeding for 2-3 days is normal. In case of edema, jet bleeding, severe inflammatory reaction, it is necessary to immediately call veterinarian. You should also pay attention to the appetite of the animal.

Crushing the spermatic cord with forceps

This procedure is carried out with forceps Burdizzo, Telyatnikov, Amosov

This procedure is carried out with forceps of Burdizzo, Telyatnikov, Amosov or Khanin-Tanybekov. The essence of the operation is to disrupt the conductive function of the spermatic cord:

After probing the spermatic cord, forceps are placed on the neck of the scrotum.
The spermatic cord is pushed to the outer wall of the scrotum, placed between the branches (pinching surfaces of the forceps) and crushed by bringing the handles together. In order to carry out the procedure for sure, it is recommended to apply the forceps after 2.5 cm again.

After probing the spermatic cord, forceps are placed on the neck of the scrotum

Bringing the handles to each other crushes it

We do the same with the second spermatic cord.

After 2-3 weeks, the testes atrophy (this is noticeable by a decrease in their size).

The disadvantage of this procedure is that it is rather difficult to carry it out on your own the first time. You can not pinch the spermatic cord to the end and there will be a complication.

Rubber ring overlay

There is also another bloodless method of castration - the imposition of a rubber ring on the scrotum. Numbness sets in within a few minutes. After some time, the nutrition and innervation of the testicles (and the scrotum as a whole) are completely disrupted, they atrophy and fall off.

The disadvantage of this procedure is that there is a risk of infection with tetanus, due to an atrophying, exfoliating scrotum. Among the advantages of the operation, we note that this procedure can be carried out in hot weather, the pain of the animal is short-term and minimized.

As we can see, all methods of castration have their pros and cons. Negative sides there is also the procedure itself. This is stress for the animal, all sorts of complications, a decrease in meat productivity, the risk that you will carry out the procedure incorrectly, miss aseptic and antiseptic measures.

The decision whether to proceed with the operation or not is entirely up to you.

The decision whether to have surgery or not is entirely up to you.

If you still decide on this procedure, it’s better not to risk it and call a veterinarian at home. The veterinarian will quickly, efficiently, and, most importantly, safely, castrate your bull.

Castration of bulls

Fixation. Many veterinarians castrate bulls in a standing position in the stall. Animals are tied side by side one next to the other, thus limiting movement, the head is fixed by the horn processes or the nasal septum. Animals aged 1 year and older must be castrated in the supine position. Bulls operated on in the supine position must be kept for 24 hours on a starvation diet.

Anesthesia. 10 ml of a 4% solution of novocaine is injected into the thickness of the testis or spermatic cord.

Operation technique. Bulls are castrated by bloody or bloodless (percutaneous) methods, more recently bloodless.

Bloody methods of castration. Of the bloody methods, the most commonly used open. In order to make an incision in the scrotum, the surgeon grabs it along with the testes with the left hand and pulls it back. It is most rational to dissect the scrotum on the cranial surface (along the greater curvature of the testis, because the wounds in front are more protected from contamination), departing from the scrotal suture 1–1.5 cm. The length of the incision should correspond to the size of the testis. A prerequisite is the dissection of the bottom of the scrotum so that blood and exudate after surgery do not accumulate in the cavity of the scrotum. In addition, in this area it is easy to make an incision in the common vaginal membrane; on the caudal surface, this is prevented by its appendage pressed against it at the moment of fixation of the testis. The released testicle is pulled out of the scrotal cavity, the transitional ligament is dissected, the mesentery is torn, and silk ligature No. 6 is applied on the thinnest part of the spermatic cord. The ends of the ligature are tied with a marine or surgical knot. The first loop of the knot is carefully and gradually tightened in 2–3 steps with an interval of 2–3 s, so that the threads are deeply immersed in the tissues, from which the liquid elements of their composition are sufficiently squeezed out. The second loop of the knot is obtained with the ends of the ligature stretched, thus preventing relaxation of the tightened first loop. After that, the spermatic cord is crossed with scissors, retreating 1 cm below the ligature. Its ends are held at this moment in the hand and the quality of the ligation is checked. After that, the ends of the ligature are cut off, stepping back from the knot by 1 cm. Then blood clots are removed from the scrotal cavity with a sterile swab and the wound is powdered with tricillin or a mixture of streptocide and iodoform.

private method castration in bulls is rarely used, because orchitis, intravaginal hernia, dropsy of the common vaginal membrane are recorded very rarely.

Bloodless (percutaneous) castration methods. Fixation. During castration, bulls are fixed in a standing position. Anesthesia is not used.

Bisturnage (twisting) of the spermatic cord(artificial cryptorchidism). It is performed when the testicles are sufficiently developed and can be fixed bimanually through the skin (percutaneously). With this method, a violation of the nutrition and innervation of the testis, its appendage, mesentery and vas deferens is provided for the purpose of atrophy of the testes and their further resorption.

Percutaneous castration method using special forceps. By this method, bulls are castrated using forceps by I. A. Telyatnikov, K. G. Golensky and I. A. Glushko and others. In the region of the neck of the scrotum, the spermatic cord is palpated, its lateral side is pushed aside and tightly fitted with the skin of the scrotum. Above the vascular cone, forceps are applied to the spermatic cord and the handles are sharply squeezed. At the same time, they feel a characteristic crunch, which indicates the quality of the operation. Blood with great force hits the bends of the blood vessels and their rupture occurs (a hydrodynamic effect occurs). However, the handles of the tongs continue to be squeezed with unrelenting force for 5 s. After that, the handles are unclenched and the forceps are moved 1.5 cm higher and the crushing of the spermatic cord is repeated in the same way. The same manipulations are performed on the other spermatic cord.