[andywalt]

Hi everyone

Please can you let me know what you do when the ram lambs are 7 days old and the time is right to put on the castration band, but you have a problem where only 1 or none have dropped?

can you tell me if I can wait longer? or if it has to be left and done with a vet later? 

please advise

cheers

[Blinkers]

OUCH  ,   castration rings need putting on during the first 72 hours of life otherwise its very painful for them.  Same goes for tails.   We don't worry about castrating our ram lambs.  We wean them at about 14 weeks and then rear them away from the ewes and ewe lambs on to finishing sometime around October/November time.     

[Fleecewife]

Legally the bands have to go on before 7 days. If it appears they haven't dropped it could well be that they have been retracted because you are touching them, but are normally down.   Sometimes you can get the testicles to drop by how you hold the lamb - under it's arms and facing away away from the operators body, legs dangling, works for us.  It must be relaxed so if you can get it on quickly they haven't really noticed they've been picked up.  If you press gently just above the scrotum that can sometimes help them to get into place too.  Always have sharp scissors (swiss army knife) in case one is not in and you have to cut the band off - if that happens leave it til the following day to try again. Also avoid the teats which could get trapped within the ring.   Your lambs should be quite big so their bits will also be big enough for ringing - Soays can be a big problem as by 7 days their testicles are still so tiny within the scrotum they slip back through the ring. Each breeder has to take their own decision as to what to do then. Mostly ringing doesn't hurt them, but sometimes they will lie down and look a bit uncomfortable for a few minutes, but we have never had one display acute pain (or we wouldn't do it).  Our sheep are naturally short tailed so we don't ring tails, although we have in the past with Jacobs. One thing - don't ring anything if they are outdoors in wet muddy conditions as they could then get an infection via the site.

[daddymatty82]

when castrating just act quick and grab the both nuts quick if you just grab  one put the lamb down and walk away as soon as it knows your playing with its nuts they will retract them and you will never see them again while in your hands come back to it few hrs later then try again just be warned they will and do very often jump into and onto very hard surfaces 1st time i saw one done it ran round flipped into the brick  wall and the sound of bones on a concrete floor through thhe straw was shocking but then livestock wouldnt be so if there wernt nasties about

[robate55]

This a really good video showing castration with bands http://www.hobbyfarms.com/hobby-farms-videos/castrating-lambs.aspx
Rose

[andywalt]

ahh thats great thanks very much

[Anke]

With these large lambs/large breed of sheep you should be able to sell yours well before they become active and start to fight amongst each other (which could reduce their weight), so I wouldn't bother ringing.
But they probably need their tails done.

[waterhouse]

We found one bollock between the 2 lambs, and that was after using Fleecewife's advice (we got the same info from our vet's receptionist).  So ours have stayed entire.  We bought one some castrated lambs last year only to find that one had a full set and another a half set plus marks from where the rubber band had been.  Off they went on the big trip.

[Tilly]

Hi Andy
We have about 130 lambs born each year on the farm and there are usually a small number of male lambs which can not be rung because they only have "one stone"down.
My OH always used to do all the "ringing" at lambing time and the method he uses is as Fleecewife explains --fast and efficient!.
In resent years I have found myself having to do all the stock tasks as been left solely on the farm to run things .
--Like many things practice makes perfect!
I certainly am not fast at doing the job---and not conventional !--- sitting on the floor to do my ram lambs!.
--being careful and gentle with the lambs.

Tilly
 
 

[Tilly]

-----We keep some rare breeds of sheep as well as the small commercial flock.
First Lambs of the season born yesterday ---Lincoln Longwools----
 

Tilly

[rab macablo]

Its a bit hard to explain, but this is what works for me.
 Lay the lamb on your lap lying on its back , put the ring on  but hold it open with the tool facing south. Then run the first to fingers of your other hand firmly down his tummy.  You should find that you can push his b*****ks into his scrot. Release the ring but dont remove the tool until you have checked they are both in there. If they are notopen up the ring and try again.
Its all one action, as you pop the b*****ks in you grap them with the ring.  It takes a bit of practice but like I said it works for me.

[andywalt]

Thanks for all your tips I will re try today

wow I love the longwool lambs !!!

fantastic !!

[kanisha]

LOL those balls are HUGE compared to a ouessants! how did they get that lamb to sit so still?? still it was very useful to know I'm not doing it compeltely the wrong way although will try the rear leg hold as this may afford a bit more working room at 14 days old ouessants testicles are about the size of a pea!

[princesspiggy]

iv got to do it for the first time this year too, our hebrideans we had left intact. i spoke to my vet about it and apparently you can get the urethra caught up if your not careful. im planning on getting a local shepherd to show me first. 

[andywalt]

Ive done the first one, it was fine, the second one they still havnt dropped properly !! so will see what happens