Gomering

[JeffNY]

Well, I keep forgeting to ask the Vet, and will not be seeing him again for a week or so (rabies shots, and other shots). What does one do to gomer a bull calf? I first read it on here, and was curious if there are any risks with it? like infections. Im pretty sure how its done, you only band one of the nads? This in turn sterilizes him, yet keeps his hormonal tendancies. I'm curious about them, for heat detection. The one born March 1st would make for a good little gomer, because of his placid nature (spunky too).



Thanks.


Jeff

[GREEN_ALIEN]

The two most common methods are vasectomy or by placing a hole in the side of the penis so that semen shoot safely to the side. Just about equal results can be found just using a freemartin. Never heard of the 'one testicle' method and it sounds suspect as all it takes is one working to get results. The line of transmisson needs to be altered...

[Wanda]

Originally Posted by GREEN_ALIEN

The two most common methods are vasectomy or by placing a hole in the side of the penis so that semen shoot safely to the side. Just about equal results can be found just using a freemartin. Never heard of the 'one testicle' method and it sounds suspect as all it takes is one working to get results. The line of transmisson needs to be altered...

Green
The method used by my local vet/embryo transfer guy, is to surgicaly move the position of the ''sheath'' so that there is no penatration involved! That does away with a lot of the std problems. If the gomer was used on a closed herd the std's would not be as much of a prob. As far as the freemartin bull, I believe it is only the heifer of the btwin set that is likely sterile.

[quailkeeper]

I just bought a dairy bull yesterday and the owner was telling me about this method. He said that the calf will continue to gain weight like a bull but be sterile. You actually have to push the two testicles back up inside and put a band underneath them so they don't push back out. The heat of the body sterilzes them. This method is also mentioned in my sheep book and seems to be very popular in Australia when it comes to banding sheep. I've heard the same thing about freemartin bulls, only the heifer is sterile. The only reason she is sterile is because they shared male hormones in the womb.

[agmantoo]

The proper method to create a goomer is as Wanda described. The sheath is surgically modified, usually at around 3 months of age, to where the anatomy of the bull will not align with the female. The typical fee is $200 plus for the procedure. Using the belly banding technique will not guarantee that some of the sperm will not be viable and could create an unwanted pregnency.

[JeffNY]

Hmm, I wondered why when I searched up gomering, and I saw a bunch of surgery pictures on a bull. So basically the bull is 100% bull, he just has his "sights" altered? I'll have to ask the vet about it (to see who does it, or if he does it). Is this a type of procedure done on the farm, or other?



Thanks!


Jeff

[evermoor]

MOst the gomering methods are done on the farm. There are a few different methods including the fast and dirty. I believe they were talking about using a freemartin heifer that is given extra hormones to act like a bull. This is more preferred as gomers are really just bulls with a bad aim. BUlls are bulls and still dangerous. Most dairies either use an intact bulls or heifer with hormones and sometimes a cystic cull cow can get the job done.

[JeffNY]

I've heard of some steers that work really well too, except some don't. We have a bull we use for breeding, might use him to finish up any I miss. But a bull does a better job detecting, and will let you know if she is in heat, it's why I thought about gomering. I considered this little calf, because he isn't like some (skiddish, can be snotty).


Jeff

[myersfarm]

jeff i have talked to a old man he said he use to put growth hormones in a steer instead of one put one in each ear and put in like ever 3 months said it give the bull the idea he was a bull he aslo said that was the steer he eat...dont know if i would want to that but alot my small steers do ride alot i use growth hormones on my beef steers john

[petefarms]

Jefffarms, I have steered a few holstein bulls, I buy the small rubber bands at my local agway, I think there're for castrating pigs and a stretcher. I usually wait about a week or two after they're born and stretch the band out and get it as close to the body as you can. I did two last year, no infections or any other problems, they seem to grow better than a bull I didn't steer out. This is another way to dehorn heiffers, if needed. There is no mess or shots in a couple of weeks or so they drop off and the steer will mount a cow in heat but can not breed. You can use an iodine dip or penecillan shot if needed, so far I've done 2 last year and 1 the year before with no problems. Hope this helps.

[tinknal]

Jeff, ever considered just heat syncronozing your cows and breeding them all at once? If you are using a service rather than AIing them yourself it should save you a bunch of money, and get your calving over in a hurry.

[Ronney]

What some of you are talking about here is a procedure called cryptorchidism i.e. pushing the testicles back up into the body, and applying a ring to remove the scrotum. Over here we call the resulting animal a "rig" and it is not something that is deliberately done with cattle. They do not make good quality beef because of the tendancy to develop as a bull and they are slaughtered as bulls rather than prime steer. There is also a belief that it will make them infertile and this is quite incorrect, both with sheep and cattle. It will definately lessen the chances of them being fertile but there are those that can still produce progeny - and it's a bit late to find out that you had one of them when a bunch of mongrel calves drop on the ground as a result of your supposed "teaser" bull.

Over the years I've learnt that if I'm going to do something, do it properly and forget about the shortcuts which mean risks.
If I'm going to have a bull, I have a bull.
If I want a teaser, I get one that is vascectomised.
If I want a steer, I castrate him properly.
I don't want rigs as they are neither use nor ornament and because they develop like a bull, they cause as much trouble on a property as any unwanted bull.

Cheers,
Ronnie

[myersfarm]

got one about changing the sites on a bulls aim...even a blind squirrel fines a nut ever once in a while

[JeffNY]

Originally Posted by tinknal

Jeff, ever considered just heat syncronozing your cows and breeding them all at once? If you are using a service rather than AIing them yourself it should save you a bunch of money, and get your calving over in a hurry.

I would, problem is, organic thingy. Can't do any ovsync, etc etc, so I am relying on all natural things. It would make life easier, problem is can't do it.


Bull or no bull, we have a bull on the farm for the herefords. The bull calf id use is a hereford, mild tempered. Our current bull is just like you want them, he walks away from you. I'll see what my vet says, if he says it's not a good idea, ill go with his word, since he would be the one doing it . His balls aren't too big for the band yet, so I still have time.


Jeff

[tinknal]

Jeff, not positive about the rules, but would the calves not be considered organic, or just the cows?
If you have enough cows, my bet is that you will have a bully one in the bunch. You might want to consider getting a couple of them chin markers and putting them on your horniest old cows.

[JeffNY]

You gave me an idea, we do have a horny ol beefer, she mounted the Jersey that was in heat xxx times.. Maybe the next time Kahlua is in heat, ill bring her up to see if she will jump her.


Jeff