Beekissed
Mountain Sage
The usual, BB. That the banded scrotal sac can become edematous and inflamed, finally grow some nasty bacteria because of this pocketed fluid is such a good medium for bacteria and before you know it, the animal is septic.
If you cut, on the other hand, and make your incisions small and at the direct bottom of the sac and not to one side or the other, the incision site has good drainage. A little blue kote spray is supposed to keep the insects from it and keep it from getting infected.
My sis banded a ram lamb last year and I'm betting she waited until he was pretty old to do this~she's not so bright on this stuff.
The sac did fall off but she found him a few days later and he had maggots crawling on a very green, gunky wound bed and he was dead.
I've heard lots of folks have great success stories using the banders and I have one of my own. I will probably band one and cut one and see how I like the results of each procedure. Banding definitely has the advantage of being quicker, less traumatic for my senses and, I'm sure, less painful for the animal.
As a nurse, I would have to say, if done properly, cutting would be the least potential for problems. Small wound, good drainage, ability to treat with disinfectant/antibiotic agent and a quick heal time for a young, healthy animal. Plus, mama can lick it and keep it clean.
Here is a couple of links on pros and cons of each method:
http://fiascofarm.com/goats/buck-wether-info.htm
http://www.castrator.com/eze_bloodless_castrator_questions/studies_band_castrating.htm
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/beef/facts/07-029.htm
If you cut, on the other hand, and make your incisions small and at the direct bottom of the sac and not to one side or the other, the incision site has good drainage. A little blue kote spray is supposed to keep the insects from it and keep it from getting infected.
My sis banded a ram lamb last year and I'm betting she waited until he was pretty old to do this~she's not so bright on this stuff.
The sac did fall off but she found him a few days later and he had maggots crawling on a very green, gunky wound bed and he was dead. I've heard lots of folks have great success stories using the banders and I have one of my own. I will probably band one and cut one and see how I like the results of each procedure. Banding definitely has the advantage of being quicker, less traumatic for my senses and, I'm sure, less painful for the animal.
As a nurse, I would have to say, if done properly, cutting would be the least potential for problems. Small wound, good drainage, ability to treat with disinfectant/antibiotic agent and a quick heal time for a young, healthy animal. Plus, mama can lick it and keep it clean.
Here is a couple of links on pros and cons of each method:
http://fiascofarm.com/goats/buck-wether-info.htm
http://www.castrator.com/eze_bloodless_castrator_questions/studies_band_castrating.htm
http://www.omafra.gov.on.ca/english/livestock/beef/facts/07-029.htm
