Keep an eye on calves after banding. Problems at this age are rare. Once in awhile, there may be a hernia. Infections in small calves are almost unheard of. Be sure of no swelling and that the calf is acting normal,” says Whittier. He adds, “the calf will lay around for 10 to 15 minutes. This should be over in half an hour. Give the calf attention if it continues to remain uncomfortable.” Intermediate banders Open castration is more co mmon in northern climates and in colder weather. Fly control is necessary and is harder to achieve in the south. After the testicles are pushed up toward the body, either a scalpel blade may be used to remove the bottom third of the scrotum or a special knife (Newbury knife; left) can be used to open the scrotum down both sides. The newbury knife has a guarded blade for extra safety. Steers = fixed male cattle, Bulls = in-tact male cattle. Castrating our bull calf was necessary for a few reasons, the number one reason being we raise our steers for meat and castrated male animals grow better than in-tact male animals. The other main reason is safety. Bulls are very dangerous to be around and we don’t have the capability or desire to deal with that on our small farm. There are more reasons, but those two are the most important to us.

If the Burdizzo method isn’t applied correctly, the bull would become a stag. As a result, the castration process is slow and meticulous. You’ll also need an expert at hand or a lot of experience with the Burdizzo clamp yourself to do it. Because the animal would sport an open wound after the operation, it’s recommended that you perform surgical castration either before or post fly season. In most areas, it’s around the middle of May to late June and July. Flies can cause infection. The Smart Bander is a more affordable option for those who love the Pro Bander but have a limited budget. This bander is much cheaper and comes with a Callicrate cutter, 5 loops, and a compact carrying case. This Zikimed bander for bulls is simple, efficient, and easy to use, saving a lot of time and effort for you. The ergonomic handle can fit nearly anybody. One of the first things you need to determine and assess before you commit to purchasing any bander or other castration device is the age and weight of the calves you intend to castrate.Bull banders can cause a lot of acute pain for the animal. Fortunately, this can be rectified by applying anesthesia. Personally, I think you’re creating less stress on the cattle, and anything that is less stress should equate to more pounds on the calf and an overall healthier calf,” Bedke says. “Banding just seems to be pretty efficient.” The economic benefit I also hope this would go without saying, but I’ll mention it anyways. Make sure you get both!! Ha. You don’t want to miss one, you’ll be able to feel if you’ve got two in there.

Another tool to aid in catching the calf is the Calf Catch, which is a long pole with a hook on the end. You grab the calf’s rear leg with the hook which disables them from running away. Hormonal castration – also called immuno-castration – involves the injection of immuno-contraceptive compounds.

Elastrator

I hope this post was helpful! Now we both know how to band a bull calf. Let me know if you have any suggestions or questions for me in the comments!