To cut or to band...?

[Jcran]

We have a Jersey/Holstein or Angus/Holstein bull calf that we got on July 1...he was about a few days to a week old. So here in mid November he is about 4 1/2 months old. We have not cut him yet. I want to use the California bander on him but am not sure that is the best thing to do at this age...when do most of youse guys cut/band? He's had both covexin 8 shots and a shot of bovi-shield.

[ErinP]

Everyone I know always cuts at branding time.
Assuming a January/February calf, branding is usually in mid-April to early May.
That's a 3-5 month calf. Right where you're at.

Hold him down, slice off the bottom of the sac so infection has nowhere to collect, pull everything out and lop it off with a clean, sharp blade.
Douse the area with antiseptic and send him on his merry way.

[PKBoo]

Originally Posted by ErinP

Hold him down, slice off the bottom of the sac so infection has nowhere to collect, pull everything out and lop it off with a clean, sharp blade.

We were told NOT to cut the tubes - after cutting the bottom of the scrotum, massage the testicles down, one at a time, and pull them quickly and firmly down and out. The pulling will 'cauterize' the tubes. Cutting could cause them to bleed to profusely (we were told)

Now, we've not done the procedure ourselves - a friend comes and does it for us, and she's done LOTS over the years. DH is going to try it himself next time.

[myersfarm]

yes pull them out NEVER CUT...also make sure to cut the scrotum straight across with a sharp item I use a scaple not a ragged cut...make sure you cut enough of scrotum off to not leave a POCKET left on scrotum

[Jcran]

any thoughts on banding INSTEAD of cutting? Just curious.

[oregon woodsmok]

Just my opinion. The banding is for when their testicles first descend, which is probably just a few days to a week old. I think that 4 1/2 months is too old for banding.

[Tad]

Some guys wait a year to band calves, my cousins tried this on their highlandrers so the might grow faster. They did grow faster but not enough to justify the wrestleing match. The make banders that will go big enough I guess its what ever you want to try both ways work just make sure you got them both in there if you band.

[Ronney]

Joan, our welfare laws as well as my own personal opinion, don't make for a hard choice.

I ring our calves before they are 6 weeks old - the testes have descended and they are not too big to handle. I too did an experiment in leaving them until they were 6 months of age to see if it had any impact on growth. I had to get the vet out to band them and the knock back ensured that they were no further ahead than if I had rung them as youngsters. Nobody here cuts anymore - with other options available it's considered a bit third world.

Cheers,
Ronnie

[G. Seddon]

If you opt to band him, please give him a tetanus shot 3 weeks prior and booster at time of banding. If he were mine, I'd have the vet out to take care of it.

[Jcran]

Thanks for all the input...he has had his tetanus and booster so should be good to go, though should we give a third booster? In the goats, we band after the second vaccination and never booster a third time.

[G. Seddon]

Jcran, I shouldn't imagine that another booster would be necessary, but I am not a vet! Did you decide how you're going to do this yet? Good luck!

[Jcran]

Well, I've got more experience with banding...however, I'm going to call my daughter's beef project 4H leader as they raise Angus. They are coming out to our house for a meeting this afternoon since I'm the meat goat leader. They cut. I'm going to have them look at his testicles and give their opinion

[NEfarmgirl]

We banded our cows and waited until they were about a month old. The last three we had were a little older and hubby missed a testicle in one of them. Most people around us band when they are about a month old and have no problems.