Author Topic: Castration (Read 3532 times)

MrsJ · « **on:** March 18, 2015, 11:04:04 am »

We have the same argument every year and I wondered what others did. I do all the castrations of our ram lams and I like to keep the poor little blighters in the bonding pen with mum for at least a couple of hours afterwards to make sure there are no ill effects. Another member of our group argues that they will be fine to be let out straight away. He says I'm just being a girl about it all. What do others think? And does anyone have any experience of the burdizzo bloodless castrators?

Ladygrey · « **Reply #1 on:** March 18, 2015, 11:10:21 am »

I leave single ram lambs un done as they usually finish in june/july anyway, charmoise all un done (and just notch them if I dont like them as they are growing up)

Twins I do at around 24 hours old, either as they go out or just before, previous years when lambing outside I do them around 24 hours old when I catch them, they are already outside so its not like I turn them out I spose...

This morning I turfed two sets of twins and a single out that were born last night before mid-night and banded/notched/tagged them as they went out
I needed the room they were taking up so had no choice, they keep up with the ewes just fine after being put out

I band them, I havnt used a burdizzo before

Marches Farmer · « **Reply #2 on:** March 18, 2015, 11:12:15 am »

We don't castrate - those that are good enough to breed from are kept, the others are run separately after weaning and sold as stores or for meat by the end of November. I would suggest trying it out on a human volunteer and seeing how chipper they feel afterwards ....?

MrsJ · « **Reply #3 on:** March 18, 2015, 04:18:02 pm »

Okay, so looks like I am just being a bit of a girl about it.

Sadly we don't have space to run them separately and we like to keep a number on for hoggets as we prefer the taste.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #4 on:** March 18, 2015, 05:17:08 pm »

I do not put them straight out if they were in, no, I leave them with mum for 10-30 minutes then walk them to their field. The danger of putting them straight out is that little boysie feels rough and doesn't follow mum; mum is in new field, focussed on GRASS

and doesn't notice that boysie isn't tagging along. So I like the wee fellas to be up and walking before they go out.

Ones that are born in the field and aren't brought in I ring at 24-36 hours old, just scoop up lambie while mum is eating cake, bish bosh, job done, lamb down, usually runs straight to mum, no dramas.

mowhaugh · « **Reply #5 on:** March 18, 2015, 06:14:57 pm »

We also leave them in their pen until they are back on their feet properly. Both for welfare and practical reasons, I also think you potentially get problems with newly castrated boys getting left behind, which is distressing for ewe and lamb, and also with the numbers we have to get done, I don't have time to match up unnecessary muddles. I do 2 'putting out' runs a day, one after breakfast and one after lunch, usually each taking a couple of hours, generally the morning ones will have been ringed overnight and the afternoon ones in the morning after the previous batch have gone out, so they have had a good few hours, but if not, I ring and before I start putting out, then do runs/walks of girls only before putting out boys or boys as part of a pair.

TheSmilingSheep · « **Reply #6 on:** March 18, 2015, 07:31:48 pm »

Mrs J, I don't think you're being a girl about it. We keep our boys in their pen with mum for 24 hours after the business....

Sbom · « **Reply #7 on:** March 18, 2015, 09:21:19 pm »

If I have to ring any of mine I do it last job at night and turn out the next day. Mainly because I can't bear to see them thrashing around but also because they are up and running by morning so don't get left behind.