Castration Banding Question

cjg24 · #1 03/20/08, 06:48 PM

I have had goats for 10 years. I had always banded my baby bucks at 3-4 weeks of age. I never gave immunizations, they tolerated it well and never had a problem - until last year. I had a baby I banded die from tetanus. It was alful. My vet said to prevent this, give tet toxin when I band. He also recommended banding much earlier - at age 7 days.

How does everyone else do it? What age do you band? Do you cut off the scrotum after a week like I read on line? Do you give tet tox?

I could use some advice, as I don't want to have a baby die that way again.

Thanks Cindy

Minelson · #2 03/20/08, 08:35 PM

Hi Cindy, I had my little Frankie banded at 3-1/2 weeks...same time he was disbudded. I gave him 2cc's of CD/T. I have heard some people wait longer to prevent urinary problems but I followed what the breeder suggested I do. So far so good...he had no complications

Backfourty,MI. · #3 03/20/08, 08:42 PM

I band pretty early too, usually 2-3 weeks of age. If the doe get's her CD & T shot 4 weeks before delivery then I wait to give the little bucks their next CD & T's until disbudding or 21 days which ever comes 1st.

cjg24 · #4 03/20/08, 10:45 PM

I am nervous about it since I lost the baby last year. I will take your advice and band at about 3 weeks and give the shot then. Thanks

Minelson · #5 03/20/08, 10:54 PM

I can understand why you would be nervous! I just re-read your post...I never heard of cutting off the scrotum before. Why not just have them surgically cut then instead of banding? Doesn't make sense to me...I thought the whole idea behind banding was so you wouldn't have to cut and have the possibility of infection...oh well, Frankie's just fell off after a few weeks...one day it was there...the next it was gone

Keep us posted on your progress!

sungirl · #6 03/20/08, 11:09 PM

Just leave it alone. Some take longer to fall off then others. Just for the time being keep him in a clean dry pen to cut down any chances of infections.

Bearfootfarm · #7 03/20/08, 11:50 PM

CD&T VACCINE is NOT what you should use. They need Tetanus ANTITOXIN.
The antitoxin gives them a high, short term immunity, while the CD&T gives them a long term immunity, but takes much longer to start working

http://www.homesteadingtoday.com/sho....php?p=2946616

http://www.google.com/search?complete=1&hl=en&ie=ISO-8859-1&q=tetanus+antitoxin+banding+goats&aq=f

fishhead · #8 03/21/08, 11:21 AM

If you give the antitoxin the day you band it may be out of the system before it's needed since it takes a few weeks before the sack falls off and the skin is completely sealed. Also the day you band there won't be any break in the skin to allow the growth of the tetanus bacteria.