Bloodless castration of rams with rings. Bloodless castration of sheep

Igor Nikolaev

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Sheep farming is a fairly profitable type of private business, so many city residents are now starting to keep sheep. And since rural life is unfamiliar to them, many of them have a lot of questions. For example, why are animals castrated? What is a castrated sheep called? Let's try to figure it out together.

It’s unclear where, but for some reason many people think that a castrated ram (or eunuch ram, eunuch ram) is called a “dude.” In fact, this word has nothing to do with sheep or livestock in general.

A bare ram is correctly called "waluh" (or "walakh"). “Cleaned” or “laid out” is another name for a castrated ram.

All of the above are words that define a male who has been artificially deprived of the ability to reproduce.

The procedure itself for depriving an animal of reproductive function is called “castration” (in other words, “emasculation”). In common parlance, the phrase “lay out the ram” is often used.

This is where another name for such males, “laying ram,” came from.

At first glance, for someone uninitiated in the intricacies of sheep farming, it seems that this procedure is not only unnecessary at all, but even harmful for business. After all, the main task of any livestock breeder is to increase the number of livestock.

So should males be castrated? The answer is clear - yes!

The main reason why this procedure is necessary is that the meat of sexually mature, uncleaned rams acquires a specific unpleasant smell and taste, which significantly deteriorates the quality of the meat, for which, in general, rams are bred. In addition, if a ram is cold, it begins to gain live weight faster and accumulate fat better. It is also important that the simplest and most accessible, and therefore cheaper, feed is enough to fatten it. Another reason for carrying out this procedure is that males stop fighting among themselves, aggression goes away, and behavior calms down.

The breeder can safely keep the females in the same room with the females, graze them together, without fear of unscheduled matings.

The main reasons why sheep farmers limit the coverage of females in some cases.

One of these reasons is the content different breeds Animals: Accidental mixing of different breeds can harm the herd.

The second reason. Sheep are very early maturing animals, and puberty in them it occurs earlier than the ewe is ready to bear offspring.

If at this age a ram covers a ewe and she bears eggs, in addition to a weak, non-viable offspring, the breeder will also receive a female with poor health.

In addition, stud rams are the elite of the breeding herd. And they are carefully selected among the strongest and most fertile individuals.

And if the remaining males are not castrated, there is a high risk that the ewe will be mated to a weak ram with poor quality characteristics.

And this is a bad offspring and direct losses for the owner. Breeding males are kept and grazed separately from the main herd, allowing access to females only during the hunting season. And don’t forget that one sire can easily support 15-20 sheep, so there is simply no need to keep a large number of males for reproduction.

How is castration done?

At the moment, two types of castration methods (in medicine - castration) of rams are known: bloodless and surgical.

Bloodless methods

Currently, two such methods are used.

The first method involves the use of a device such as a burizzo (also used for tail docking). With its help, the skin and flesh are compressed along with the testicles. The eggs become bled and, over time, dry out and die.

The advantage of this technique is the absence of open wounds, which eliminates the risk of infection and tetanus. A serious disadvantage of the burizzo method is its pain and time-consuming nature.

The second bloodless quenching method involves the use of rubber rings. The disadvantage of this method is that the procedure can take ten to twenty days.

In some cases, the breeder performs so-called “shortened” castration using rubber rings. Its essence is that these rings only tighten the skin of the scrotum, without capturing the testicles themselves. This is not so painful, and gives the desired result, since the testicles raised up in this way are not able to participate in the fertilization process.

Surgical methods of castration

The most ancient and long-known method.

Its essence is simple - at the age of six months, the ram's scrotum is cut and both eggs are removed.

Scrotal incisions during castration of bulls and rams

A more humane method is considered to be surgical “shortened” castration. It differs from the traditional one in that only the scrotum is cut off, and the testicles themselves are pushed up and remain intact.

The result is that the male produces testosterone, but is not capable of fertilization. With complete castration there is a high risk of contracting an infection, the second one is safer from this point of view.

If you decide to start sheep farming, remember. This area, like any other, has its own subtleties and nuances, so before you start your own business in this area, try to learn as much as possible about these animals. Better yet, consult with experienced sheep breeders at first.

Today, some city residents are starting to engage in agriculture, in particular livestock breeding. And here they have to deal with hitherto unfamiliar things.

Many people are just learning for the first time that cattle are castrated. And some even have their tails docked. Naturally, new farmers have no idea what a castrated goat or castrated ram is called. Also, not everyone knows why such operations need to be carried out.

What is a castrated sheep called?

Somewhere it came to be that the word “dude” has something to do with a pet. In fact, this is not true at all. And in all dictionaries a castrated ram is called valakh or valukh. Sometimes the name “valushka” is added to this series.

Although sometimes a castrated ram is called “castrated” or “laid out,” which is also correct. This is the name given to a male who has lost the ability to cover females due to surgery or other veterinary actions. Depriving an animal of this natural ability is called “castration” or “emasculation.” Sometimes people use the expression “lay out the ram” in this case.

Why is castration of males necessary?

On the one hand, it may seem to an uninitiated person that this procedure is harmful, from which the cattle breeder has no benefit. Well, in fact, is it necessary to castrate sheep if the main objective farmer - to constantly increase the number of herds?

The answer will be in the affirmative - it is necessary! And the reasons explaining why rams are castrated are as follows:

1. The meat of unbred males (bulls, boars, goats, rams and other animals) acquires a specific flavor after they reach puberty.
2. A castrated sheep gains weight faster and stores fat better. Moreover, to fatten it, less strong feed is required, which, in turn, is much cheaper.
3. Thanks to emasculation, animals lose interest in fighting among themselves, become calmer, and are not aggressive towards humans.
4. The owner does not have to bother with allocating the males a separate room and pasture from the females: now the sheep are not in danger of unwanted fertilization.

Why do sheep farmers sometimes resist covering females?

Often different animals are kept on the same farm. A sheep farmer, for example, purchased individuals of more advanced breeds. But he still has some young stock left from the previous plant. Mixing different breeds of animals is not only pointless, but also harmful.

Some females, being early ripening, are ready for mating at a fairly young age. But fertilization ahead of time will undermine the health of the animal; its offspring may be weak and non-viable.

There is also the danger of covering the ewe with a weak ram. This can also lead to the birth of a low-quality offspring.

To prevent this from happening, the farmer is forced to keep males and females separately. And he also has to allocate pastures for grazing in different places. And this requires attracting additional labor units and financial investments. Therefore, the easiest way out here would be to castrate outbred or simply excess rams. After all, for normal functioning For a herd of 15 sheep, one full-fledged adult ram is enough.

What is castration?

Synonyms for this word are, as mentioned above, wallowing, laying out, hollowing. The medical name for this procedure is castration.

What is the process itself? The goal of man is to artificially induce infertility in a male. This can be achieved in several ways.

Bloodless methods of emasculating lambs

There are two known today. The first is done using special device called burizzo. It is used for both tail docking and castration.

Using burizzo, the skin and flesh along with the testicles are compressed. Thanks to this action, they bleed and dry out. It can be considered positive that it allows you to avoid infection of open wounds and tetanus infection of the animal. The negative side is that the procedure is quite painful and takes a long time.

Rubber rings are also a bloodless method. This procedure can last from 10 to 20 days.

Sometimes sheep farmers use rubber rings for shortened castration, when they only tighten the skin of the scrotum without capturing the testicles. This process is less painful. But the desired result is achieved, since the raised testicles cannot participate in the fertilization of females.

Laying out males using a scalpel

Very often, veterinarians act the old fashioned way - they perform an operation on a ram that has reached six months, only by treating the skin with alcohol before cutting it. Few people think about doing anything to relieve the pain of the procedure.

But nevertheless, some people still believe that since animals are under the power of man and serve him, even as food, then he is simply obliged to reduce their suffering as much as possible. Therefore, shortened castration was invented not so long ago.

This procedure differs from the traditional method of surgery in that during it only the male’s scrotum is removed. The ram's testicles themselves remain intact, but are pushed up. Due to this, the male, although he produces testosterone, is not able to fertilize the sheep.

And finally, everyone knows about castration itself, during which the ram’s scrotum is cut, the testicles are released and removed. As a result of the operation, an open wound is left, which can become infected from the outside with dust, dirt, flies and other insects.

A person who decides to engage in cattle breeding should know more about his business. And that’s why it’s so important to keep abreast of all the innovations that scientists and veterinarians offer sheep farmers.

Male goats and sheep become foul-smelling when they reach sexual maturity, emitting foul-smelling odors to attract females. In general, the smell itself is not a big problem, but it negatively affects the quality of the meat, which also becomes smelly and unfit for consumption. Get rid of unpleasant odor This is possible through conventional castration of animals, that is, removal of the ram’s genitals.

Castration is carried out in two ways - bloody and bloodless.

Bloody castration

Castration of rams should be entrusted exclusively to a professional veterinarian; performing an operation to remove the ovaries on your own, despite its apparent simplicity, is not recommended.

For castration, the veterinarian will need sharp scissors, silk threads, clean dishes, alcohol for disinfection and painkiller - novocaine.

Before castration, the ram should be tied up or tightly squeezed between the legs, so that the back part clearly protrudes and is accessible for manipulation.

Before castration, the hair around the ram's genitals must be trimmed to prevent it from getting on the open wound.

The ram's scrotum should be cut longitudinally or crosswise, the ovary should be pulled out, tied at the narrowest point with a silk thread, then take scissors and, pulling back the skin, carefully cut off the ovary. First, novocaine should be injected into the ovary itself or the area around it, using a thin syringe for this purpose.

With this method, castration of blood cannot be avoided, the main thing to remember is that both eggs will have to be cut off, and after this operation it is necessary to disinfect the resulting wound, if necessary, cauterize it with iodine, or sprinkle it with potassium permanganate.

Over the next few days after castration, the rams must be kept separately, trying to change their bedding as often as possible. Otherwise, the wound may fester and the animal may die.

Bloodless castration

Bloodless castration is carried out with special Telyatnikov forceps. The veterinarian does not additional procedures, but just picks up forceps, grabs the ovaries with them along with the membrane covering them and simply bites them off. Experienced Veterinarian Before this, be sure to carry out the above preparatory manipulations and treat the site where the ovaries were removed.

You can tell that the operation was successful and the ovaries have been removed by the characteristic crunching sound. If it is not observed, the forceps can be moved 1-2 centimeters higher or lower. Such a movement is last resort, it is best to use the forceps once, entrusting the procedure to a person with strong hands, who can easily squeeze the tongs to the desired crunch. Each ovary is bitten off individually with forceps.

Castration of rams is usually carried out in 2 one month old, but some veterinarians perform this operation in slightly more early age 2 weeks. At this age, a ring specially made of vacuum rubber is placed on the scrotum and ovaries of the lamb. The diameter of the ring is only about 1-2 centimeters, which contributes to a further slowdown and subsequent complete stop of ovarian development.

This method is considered among veterinarians the most humane and painless, but nevertheless it cannot be called quite effective, since it is impossible to predict the further development of the ram; for some animals, the so-called elastration causes much greater inconvenience than the castration process itself. Animals may stop eating and begin to waste away, which should not be allowed under any circumstances; such a sheep must be slaughtered as quickly as possible.

Castration of sheep necessary to improve the taste characteristics of meat obtained after the slaughter of males and to increase wool clipping. The procedure is also carried out in relation to individuals unsuitable for reproductive activity in group keeping.

Rams, like all farm animals, are castrated. There may be several reasons for this:

• The testes are necessarily removed from those lambs that cannot be used for breeding work. Intervention makes it possible to prevent the appearance of offspring from low-breed males and correct their behavior. After castration, sheep become calmer. Valukh (emasculated ram) does not show aggression, desire to clarify hierarchical relationships and establish leadership in the flock, which can significantly reduce injuries.
• In sheep, puberty occurs much earlier than the body is ready to bear healthy offspring. Keeping males and females together can lead to non-viable lambs and significant losses. Castration makes it possible to avoid such problems and simplifies the maintenance of large livestock on range and in pens.
• Castration of lambs in agriculture It is also used to change the taste characteristics of meat: it does not have a pronounced unpleasant odor, and is distinguished by the presence more fat and less fiber.
• The absence of gonads has a positive effect on the quality and volume of wool obtained from rams. During slaughter, the skin of such animals is removed much easier and without damage.
• Much less often, castration of sheep is carried out according to medical indications: in case of injury to the genital organs or detection of certain pathologies.

Executed in optimal timing castration of rams eliminates many of the problems of keeping sheep and significantly increases the profitability of the farm.

Contraindications

When selecting lambs for castration, both indications and contraindications should be taken into account. Intervention at too early an age is not recommended due to possible delays in the growth and development of the animal. Lambs are not castrated 10 days before routine vaccination and for 2 weeks afterwards.

1-2 days before the planned intervention, all sheep are carefully examined: the temperature is measured, the position of the testes and their condition are determined. Do not operate on weakened, emaciated or sick individuals. Intervention is not recommended if the lambs go to slaughter after reaching 5-6 months.

Surgery in adulthood is associated with high probability postoperative complications and the need for subsequent long-term treatment.

Age

Puberty in lambs occurs on average at 6 months. In some early maturing breeds, signs of puberty may be observed even earlier. The optimal period for removing the testes is 3-4 weeks before the end of development genitourinary system. Minimum acceptable age castration of lambs - 3-4 months. Previous intervention specified period, can cause significant disturbances in metabolic processes and cause stunted growth compared to untreated sheep. If rams are castrated after maturity, behavioral sexual responses may persist for some time.

Adult males that have become unsuitable for breeding work are operated on several months before slaughter, during which the male is fattened and the meat loses its specific smell.

To prevent possible complications, mass castration in farms It is recommended to carry out in the autumn or spring months. Low temperature air and the absence of insects carrying pathogens reduces the likelihood of bleeding, inflammatory processes and other pathological conditions.

Methods

Castration of lambs and adult males is carried out using several methods. IN at a young age Preference is given to percutaneous methods; in more mature methods, open surgery is used.

Open method

Open operations involve making transverse incisions in the lower part of the scrotum or cutting off its bottom. Due to the low prolapse of the scrotum and sclerosis of the skin during castration of rams, longitudinal incisions are not recommended. In this case, there is a high probability of accumulation of blood clots in the cavity with the subsequent development of infectious inflammation.

Before making incisions, anesthesia is drawn into a syringe and injected in several places surgical field. If it is necessary to castrate old rams, the concentration is increased.

The testicles are removed through the incisions, the spermatic cords are tied with a ligature or pinched with forceps, and the resulting wound is covered with an antiseptic. For large wound surfaces in adult sheep, it is recommended to insert a piece of gauze soaked in iodoform or antibiotics into the cavity.

In a closed way

In most cases it is used for casting lambs or young rams. bloodless castration. To carry out such procedures you will need a special tool.

Bloodless methods include:

• Compression of the scrotal neck (elastration).

The essence of the intervention is to put an elastic band on the scrotum of lambs as close to the abdomen as possible. As a result, blood access to the testicles is stopped, they gradually decrease in size and die. In lambs and young rams, this process takes 2 to 3 weeks. To carry out the procedure in a closed way, an elastrator is used. It is used to stretch tight rubber rings into which the scrotum is threaded.

It is not recommended to castrate adult rams using this method, since due to large quantity connective tissue The neck is not compressed tightly enough with the rubber band. The difficulty lies in the fact that after reaching 6-7 months, the testes of rams increase in size so much that it is quite problematic to pass them through the ring.

This method is considered the most gentle, since the rubber rings cut off the blood supply to the nerves, and after 20-30 minutes the lambs stop feeling discomfort.

• Crush spermatic cord.

This method is also only suitable for lambs or young rams. To destroy the vas deferens of sheep you will need special forceps. The duration of its holding on the cord and possible need reuse.

To carry out the procedure, the rams are placed on their backs and the testicles are retracted to the bottom of the scrotum. The forceps are applied to the cord as close to the testis as possible and sharply squeezed until it crunches. After 3-4 weeks the rams are examined. If the testicles have not decreased in size, repeated intervention will be required, but in an open manner. With successful intervention, complete death of the testicles occurs within 5-6 months.

• Crushing of the testicular parenchyma.

The most suitable method for sheep, which, however, has not received wide application due to the pain of the procedure and high probability restoration of the testes. The method involves destroying the testicles by squeezing them between the rounded jaws of the forceps. The tool is selected depending on the age of the lambs, since the size of the testicles increases noticeably over time. After squeezing, the tissue should be loose without compaction.

Before castrating rams, it is necessary to weigh the advantages and disadvantages of each method, and choose the one that will have the least negative consequences for good health.

Complexity of the operation

Routine castration of rams is somewhat different from removal of testicles in other types of farm and domestic animals. This is due to sagging scrotum, large sizes testes in sheep and the presence of connective tissue around the vas deferens and testicular parenchyma.

K maximum simple procedures include elastration of sheep with rubber rings and crushing of the spermatic cord without opening the scrotum. The most difficult is considered to be the defertility of adult rams over 4-5 years old and the castration of males for medical reasons.

How long does the intervention last?

The duration of castration depends on many factors: the chosen method, the age of the sheep, the need for preliminary anesthesia, the presence of diseases reproductive organs and the likelihood of unexpected situations during the intervention. The operation time also depends on practical experience who will perform the procedure.

On average, castration of lambs using bloodless methods takes 5-10 minutes, and open surgery with removal of testicles - from 20 to 30 minutes. Only a specialist can determine more accurately how long the intervention lasts.

Preoperative period

6-8 hours before castration, lambs are stopped given food, and 3-4 hours before castration, water is stopped. It is best if sheep have a bowel movement prior to surgery and bladder. When performing an open procedure, a longer fast may be required.

Preparation for the procedure includes certain hygiene measures: The genital area is washed with running water and the hair is cut off. Before surgery is performed, the lambs are examined again and their temperature and pulse are measured.

Postoperative period

All sheep subjected to the procedure are placed in pre-prepared, clean and dry pens. Animals are examined daily until the testicles completely atrophy or postoperative wounds heal.

The most careful care after intervention is required for rams with open wound surfaces. Males may require additional treatment with an antiseptic, and if bloody discharge, mucus or pus - special treatment.

Complications

In most cases, complications in sheep are observed after open method interventions. Most often in sheep, prolapse of the vaginal membrane, spermatic cord or intestinal loop occurs. Such pathologies are detected in individual animals and, if corrected in a timely manner, do not affect the outcome of the procedure. To more dangerous early complications This includes bleeding after the ligature slips off the spermatic cord. For intense bloody discharge Re-suturing may be required.

Late consequences of castration of rams include the accumulation of coagulated blood and its infection, which, in the absence of antiseptic treatment, can result in gangrene of the scrotum, peritonitis, general infection blood and death of the animal.

The external genitalia of lambs and rams have certain anatomical features structures that influence the technique of intervention. In case of non-compliance with requirements and insufficient practical training there is a high probability of infection of sheep with subsequent death.

In this regard, it is strictly not recommended to carry out operations with your own hands without sufficient preliminary preparation. Today you can find many articles and video materials from detailed description stages of the operation, but they should not be used for training. If there is a need to regularly remove testes from sheep, it is better to take a training course under the guidance of a veterinarian. You should carry out the procedures yourself only after practical application acquired knowledge under the supervision of a specialist.

If, even after training, you are not sure that you can carry out castration on your own (this is especially true for adult rams), it is better not to risk it and seek qualified help.

Before the procedure, be sure to make sure that the veterinarian you choose has sufficient practical skills in carrying out such operations, and his qualifications have appropriate documentary evidence.