Advertisement
If you have a new account but are having problems posting or verifying your account, please email us on hello@boards.ie for help. Thanks :)
Hello all! Please ensure that you are posting a new thread or question in the appropriate forum. The Feedback forum is overwhelmed with questions that are having to be moved elsewhere. If you need help to verify your account contact hello@boards.ie

When to castrate

Options
  • 27-11-2023 8:59am
    #1
    KingPanko
    Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭


    Asking for a friend, 

    Neither of us are beef farmers, I am helping him out as he has unexpectedly had to start running his family beef farm, dairy calves to beef is the system. 


    There are a group of 22month bulls there, should we them castrate now? If we do it will be a vet job but what do you recommend and explain why please? 


    They have been mixed with a group of heifers unfortunately, would you give them a shot of PG to abort them?


    There is also a group of 9month old bulls, should we also castrate them now?


    If we leave them whole when do we need to separate the bulls from the heifer weanlings?



Comments

  • Options
    #2
    Lime Tree Farm
    Registered Users Posts: 2,791 ✭✭✭Lime Tree Farm


    Find out which Veterinary Practice does the annual TB test, then you more than likely will have found the Vet who is familiar with the herd. Their Vet is best placed for advice on all of the above.



  • Options
    #3
    emaherx
    Registered Users Posts: 6,138 ✭✭✭emaherx


    Definitely ask vet for advice on all of above they are all too old to be castrated by anyone other than the vet. I'd probably sell them all to bull finishers to be honest and aim to castrate next year's calves earlier.

    Also 9 months old is too late to be separating bulls from heifers. A 6 month old bull can do the damage and some even younger, I had a heifer go in calf last year under 5 months which may be exceptional but it happens.



  • Options
    #4
    KingPanko
    Registered Users Posts: 54 ✭✭KingPanko


    Thanks guys, plan made with them, leaving the big ones as bulls, have found a buyer so that is sorted. 

    We have separated the weanlings, vet coming tomorrow to advise on castrating them and on general herd health.

    He plans to keep the weanlings and after getting the vets advice will likely castrate them ASAP. The oldest of them is 10months old, do you think that would be ok to do with the burdizzo? Or how should we do them?



  • Options
    #5
    Lime Tree Farm
    Registered Users Posts: 2,791 ✭✭✭Lime Tree Farm


    It's illegal to castrate calves over 6 months without Vet administering pain relief during the procedure.



  • Options
    #6
    Farm365
    Registered Users Posts: 120 ✭✭Farm365


    Might be a good idea if you have a neighbour you trust to lean on them for advice for a while. I don’t mean to sound harsh but the questions your asking are very naive so thread carefully with ‘advisors’ or Dealers.



  • Advertisement
Advertisement