Castrating ram lambs

ihatewinter

Hey I have about 20 ram lambs that I didn't castrate at birth with rings. They are now heading for 6 weeks old and need to castrate them. When castrating do any of you inject to prevent infection. I'll be using a burdizoo.

AnFeirmeoir

ihatewinter wrote: »

Hey I have about 20 ram lambs that I didn't castrate at birth with rings. They are now heading for 6 weeks old and need to castrate them. When castrating do any of you inject to prevent infection. I'll be using a burdizoo.

Some would say just put the rings on them at that age amd they'll be fine .

Green farmer

Anyone ever heard of the method of using the band,but only putting the sack into it and pushing the balls up into the body. Gives them the growth benefits of an intact lamb but renders them infertile.

ganmo

Green farmer wrote: »

Anyone ever heard of the method of using the band,but only putting the sack into it and pushing the balls up into the body. Gives them the growth benefits of an intact lamb but renders them infertile.

ya they tried that it NZ think they figured the results weren't worth the effort

IH784man

Just out of a matter of interest,why do you want the castrate them?Do they thrive better?

sea12

AnFeirmeoir wrote: »

Some would say just put the rings on them at that age amd they'll be fine .

Think it's illegal to use them after 7 days.
Yes op you would want to inject them for tetanus if u are doing them or if the lambs didn't get a clost injection.

Why not leave them. They might grow faster and be gone before you need to separate them

Green farmer

I haven't castrated any here this year or last. It something that I want to start doing as some of the lambs end up staying around here longer then I'd hope. This morning I picked up two of my pet lambs that are 4-5 weeks old and felt their sacks. Both of the lambs sacks were empty and the balls were still up inside the body. It's because of these type of issues that I never really give castration a go. Sort of hate to make a botch up of a job and not getting it right. I suppose once I got used to it I'd probably think differently. I see in England they've a new type of castrator called the Ritchey nipper, that seems be,be an improved version then the burdizzo. .

Ard_MC

ihatewinter wrote: »

Hey I have about 20 ram lambs that I didn't castrate at birth with rings. They are now heading for 6 weeks old and need to castrate them. When castrating do any of you inject to prevent infection. I'll be using a burdizoo.

What age do you find best to use the burdizoo?

Havent castrated in years but will be going down this route this year using the burdizoo.

Connemara Farmer

Green farmer wrote: »

Both of the lambs sacks were empty and the balls were still up inside the body. It's because of these type of issues that I never really give castration a go.

That used to be an issue for me when I started too, until I had enough of it so I say...

Move'em on down. I ring very young blackface lambs here. Often the sack is empty. I find if I hold the lamb between my legs (it's head behind me, 4 legs pointing forward) I can put the ring in place without closing the elastrator, this leaves my left hand free to manipulate the lamb. I use thumb and forefinger to gently get the balls in the right place - there's a line I never thought I'd use :eek: Slightly close the elastrator to stop them popping back up, check (again all using left hand - I'm right handed) both balls are in the sack and the nipples aren't going to be caught, THEN once all is good remove the ring from the elastrator. One castrated lamb. Works 100% of the time so far without any distress to the lamb.

Lano Lynn

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khoaA3rVNI0
been there done that!

Green farmer

I'm crossing me legs at the thought if it .:pac:

Lano Lynn

and the 'sweetbreads' were fried with butter and garlic that evening

Green farmer

Did you seriously try that method of biting them out before Lano ?

Lano Lynn

'fraid so,try most things once
you don't have to use your teeth by the way,the idea is probably your mouth might be cleaner than your hands?
the bottom of the sack is sliced off and the balls pushed out just pull and the arterys seal themselves,any infection drains out.basically the same as cutting piglets.

done in a pen out in the field not shed or handling unit to reduce infection risk

a group of shepherds joined together from 7 farms ,
over a few days we cut and tailed thousands of lambs .
put a great shine on the dogs:D halcyon days