Castrating a weanling

RobinBanks

I have a 11 month old weanling. He looks more like a 5 month old though. He was a little fella I bought To help detect when cows are in heat.

Anyway. I brought him to the mart but I was getting less than I paid for him so I brought him home. I will need to squeeze him and I don't think he is to strong for the burdizo but what I'm not sure about is how long after been squeezed will he be fertile for. My plan was to squeeze him and let him off with some yearling heifers. I'm just a bit worried that he might still be fertile for a while.

Anyone know?

Atilathehun

RobinBanks wrote: »

I have a 11 month old weanling. He looks more like a 5 month old though. He was a little fella I bought To help detect when cows are in heat.

Anyway. I brought him to the mart but I was getting less than I paid for him so I brought him home. I will need to squeeze him and I don't think he is to strong for the burdizo but what I'm not sure about is how long after been squeezed will he be fertile for. My plan was to squeeze him and let him off with some yearling heifers. I'm just a bit worried that he might still be fertile for a while.

Anyone know?

Little fellas often have big balls!!!
11 months is better done with a knife!

RobinBanks

or maybe I could get him vasectomised? Squeezing him at this age would be pretty cruel

Bodacious

RobinBanks wrote: »

or maybe I could get him vasectomised? Squeezing him at this age would be pretty cruel

if he looks like he is 5-6 mts and not overly strong id squeeze him and hold him back from the heifers for 2-3weeks, strictly speaking you should have a vet present when castrating any animal over six months

if he lively and you need a teaser anyway then get vet to vasectomise him but i wouldnt go spending money otherwise

Good loser

When squeezing tie a rope (carefully) to his back leg and get someone to hold it forward.

RobinBanks

Bodacious wrote: »

if he looks like he is 5-6 mts and not overly strong id squeeze him and hold him back from the heifers for 2-3weeks, strictly speaking you should have a vet present when castrating any animal over six months

if he lively and you need a teaser anyway then get vet to vasectomise him but i wouldnt go spending money otherwise

Thanks Bod. I have to get the vet out to squeeze him as I dont have the equipment or know how. When he was out I was going to ask about the vasectomy but maybe this time of year with flies might not be a good idea.

I didnt think I would need to keep him away from the heifers for that long. Lucky I asked the question!

RobinBanks

Good loser wrote: »

When squeezing tie a rope (carefully) to his back leg and get someone to hold it forward.

I was thinking of bringing in a bale of straw aswell. Might cushion the blow!

Bizzum

RobinBanks wrote: »

I was thinking of bringing in a bale of straw aswell. Might cushion the blow!

Far better idea. I find a rope can annoy them as much as anything. However for a pure mad weanling a rope may be the only way.
Over the years I've squeezed hundreds of weanlings, many over a year old, without a bother on them. Regs prohibit that now though, so it's anastetic and vet job.
As pointed out you need to keep him away from heifers for 2/3 weeks. He could still have one in the chamber:D

pakalasa

Keep the tail held up straight and gripped down low. That'll stop him kicking.

BeeDI

pakalasa wrote: »

Keep the tail held up straight and gripped down low. That'll stop him kicking.

Exactly:cool: And be a man, and stand as close as possible to him at all times. Gives him much less scope to swing, and get power into his kick:pac:

vanderbadger

pakalasa wrote: »

Keep the tail held up straight and gripped down low. That'll stop him kicking.

i have a strong weanling, he is just about a yr old now, thought he was getting kinda bold so asked vet to squeeze him there over a mth ago, put him in the crush anyway and gave him some sedative, vet went to appraoch him from behind, me holding tail, your man goes to kick vet anyway before he ever touched him, puts the anti backing bar flying, nearly takes my head off, tried a few more things with ropes etc..no good, vet gives him epidural on top of tail...says let him out of crush, figured when he goes down he will get to cut him..we let him out anyway and he is wobbling from side to side but he still tries to go for vet! no way will he go down..anyway after that vet refuses to go near him...
he is off to ennis next week anyway, just a dangerous animal to try and handle

BeeDI

vanderbadger wrote: »

i have a strong weanling, he is just about a yr old now, thought he was getting kinda bold so asked vet to squeeze him there over a mth ago, put him in the crush anyway and gave him some sedative, vet went to appraoch him from behind, me holding tail, your man goes to kick vet anyway before he ever touched him, puts the anti backing bar flying, nearly takes my head off, tried a few more things with ropes etc..no good, vet gives him epidural on top of tail...says let him out of crush, figured when he goes down he will get to cut him..we let him out anyway and he is wobbling from side to side but he still tries to go for vet! no way will he go down..anyway after that vet refuses to go near him...
he is off to ennis next week anyway, just a dangerous animal to try and handle

Normally keep my spring born weanlings, till they are 11 / 12 months, as full bulls. Noticed yesterday in Ennis mart, that the few lots of weanlings there, which had been casterated, seemed to attract fairly good buyer attention compared to similar size / weight bulls. Some lads there saying, there is a swing back to feeding bullocks as opposed to bulls! What do ye think?

I'm thinking, of getting out the burdizoo next week, to give my lads a dart of it and delaying selling next spring till around May, when there "should", be a good flush of grass growth, and farmers buying.

vanderbadger

BeeDI wrote: »

Normally keep my spring born weanlings, till they are 11 / 12 months, as full bulls. Noticed yesterday in Ennis mart, that the few lots of weanlings there, which had been casterated, seemed to attract fairly good buyer attention compared to similar size / weight bulls. Some lads there saying, there is a swing back to feeding bullocks as opposed to bulls! What do ye think?

I'm thinking, of getting out the burdizoo next week, to give my lads a dart of it and delaying selling next spring till around May, when there "should", be a good flush of grass growth, and farmers buying.

how were they going in general anyway

redzerologhlen

If ye dont want to get kicked put a cow in the front of the crush, fill in behind her and squeeze as you are putting them up, a good man on the tail is all you need. My auld lad spent all his life squeezing cattle around, he always said the only times he got kicked was by the one at the front of the crush, they will stay quiet if something is in front of them.

just do it

RobinBanks wrote: »

Bodacious wrote: »

if he looks like he is 5-6 mts and not overly strong id squeeze him and hold him back from the heifers for 2-3weeks, strictly speaking you should have a vet present when castrating any animal over six months

if he lively and you need a teaser anyway then get vet to vasectomise him but i wouldnt go spending money otherwise

Thanks Bod. I have to get the vet out to squeeze him as I dont have the equipment or know how. When he was out I was going to ask about the vasectomy but maybe this time of year with flies might not be a good idea.

I didnt think I would need to keep him away from the heifers for that long. Lucky I asked the question!

Ask him about it in advance! Squeezing is a simple 2 min job, a vasectomy is a tricky job and will take 30-45 mins between getting ready, injections etc

just do it

vanderbadger wrote: »

he is off to ennis next week anyway, just a dangerous animal to try and handle

Jeez, I hope I don't end up buying him as my next vasectomised bull:D

just do it

vanderbadger wrote: »

how were they going in general anyway

I was in there for a few minutes yesterday, saw about 15-20 weanlings go through. I didn't see any farmer place a bid and only good stock made any sort of money

just do it

I'm in the same boat with an 11mo LM bull weanling. I've him booked in for tuesday but I'm thinking of castrating him and hold him til next Spring. Whilst he's not the best in the world, he's a bit too good just to use as a vasectomised bull and not quiet enough for my liking for that job.

Out of interest, the last vasectomised bull I had did me well. He cost €700 incl delivery this time last year the vasectomy was cheap (connections!), got no feed, and made €1,100 at the factory 2 weeks ago. I lost trust in him hence the quick exit

BeeDI

vanderbadger wrote: »

how were they going in general anyway

Back a good bit in general, especially for lighter calves.
Saw several nice blues, a bit under 300kg, making between €730 and €770:eek:

Hard to get €600 with the weight, with many making more like €500 with weight. Fair amount just not sold!!
Had a v nice lim out of char cow made 380kg €1010 plus two very big but plainish charlies at 410kg €915.
Maybe with the weather like it is, and feed stocks low and poorish quality going into the winter, there will be a flood of weanlings on the market from the next few weeks onwards.:o
If I had any more calves over 350 kg, i'd be out the gate with them ASAP. Just my opinion.

vanderbadger

BeeDI wrote: »

Back a good bit in general, especially for lighter calves.
Saw several nice blues, a bit under 300kg, making between €730 and €770:eek:

Hard to get €600 with the weight, with many making more like €500 with weight. Fair amount just not sold!!
Had a v nice lim out of char cow made 380kg €1010 plus two very big but plainish charlies at 410kg €915.
Maybe with the weather like it is, and feed stocks low and poorish quality going into the winter, there will be a flood of weanlings on the market from the next few weeks onwards.:o
If I had any more calves over 350 kg, i'd be out the gate with them ASAP. Just my opinion.

ya my ones are fairly heavy i would think but on the plainish side, time to get rid anyway i suppose so will have to see

Bodacious

vanderbadger wrote: »

ya my ones are fairly heavy i would think but on the plainish side, time to get rid anyway i suppose so will have to see

i went to Balla mart in co. mayo saturday and thought cattle were back alot over all, lighter heifers especially saw black lim and char heifers under 500 even 460 with their weight, 405kg E865

Cull cows were a good trade though, alot of bulls sold too

Saler PBNR 780kg E1200
AA PBR 530KG E800!!! Bad yoke though Feb 2010
AA PBR 535KG E1000not sold better quality April 2011

2003 CH PBR 850kg E1460

2008 CH PBR 965kg E1700

Saw a lovely May 11 PBR CH bull, good thick well made, not overdone fancy yearling 605kg, proven fertility etc he took him home at 1600 and he did the right thing he was worth it and more IMO but too long for me to be feeding a bull until next may:mad: