All details about castration surgical procedure and related details for farm animals.

2. What – Definition, Other Related Terms .
Why – Reasons, Advantages and Disadvantages.
When – Age, Season.
How – Different methods
 Instruments,
 Anesthetic control,
 Procedure and Complications,
 Advantages & Disadvantages.

3.  Neutering, Altering, Fixing, Sterilizing:
 Removal of gonads - Unsexing the animal.
 Male – Removal of both the Testicles
 Female – Removal of both the Ovaries, and usually of the Uterus
also.
 Orchiectomy:
 Removal of Testicle(s).
 Ovariectomy, Ovariotomy :
 Removal of an diseased Ovary / Ovaries.
 Oopherectomy:
 Removal of an Ovary / Ovaries.

5. Chapter 23 Surgery of the reproductive and genital system, Pg 517
Small Animal Surgery By Theresa W. Fossum.

6. Castration [kas-tra´shun] - “castrare”
 Excision of the gonads
 Bilateral Orchiectomy in a male
 Bilateral Oophorectomy in a female.
 or Destruction of the gonads
 Closed method .
“…..excision or destruction of the gonads….”
“…..female castration - SPAYING -removal of the ovaries, or OOPHORECTOMY;
male castration - bilateral ORCHIECTOMY…..”
Saunders Veterinary Dictionary, 3rd ed. 2007
“The term castration can be used to mean removal of the testicles or the removal
of the ovaries. But by common usage the term is confined only to the removal of
the testicles.”
Chapter 43 Castration and Vasectomy, Pg.341
Essentials of veterinary surgery, 8th edition by A. Venugopalan

7.  To make the animal docile.
 For easy management in the presence of
female animals.
 To prevent unwanted animals from breeding.
 Malignant disease or irreparable injury of the
testes.
 To promote weight gain in meat animals.
 Correction of scrotal hernia.

8. ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Steer carcass higher price. Lower FCR by 13% .
Meat – Palatable; Marbling, Lower leaner meat.
Higher self life. Decreased Daily weight gain
Decreased dark cut -Muscle pH. 10 to 20 % .
Hides are easy to remove. More fat deposition.
Reduced Sexual activity –
Higher racing performance . Carcass composition %

9. 1 – 2 months
2 weeks
First week
1 – 1.5 year
Season:
• Early Spring or Late Fall -
• Avoid extreme Climates, Fly season

10. Steer/
Ox/ Bullock
Wether/Wedder/
Dinmont
Wether/Wedder/
Dinmont
Barrow/Hog
Geld/Gelding

11.  Open Method – (Surgical technique - Emasculator/Knife)
 Open Uncovered or “Open Open” method
 Open Covered or “Open Closed” method
 Closed Method (Bloodless technique)
 Emasculatome - Burdizzo®
 Elastic Banding
 Elastrator
 EZE Bander, Calicrate Bander
 Short scrotum method
 Chemical or Immunocastration ?

12.  Location of Scrotum and testicles
 Bull – Ventral and Pendulous,
 Ram and Buck – Ventral,
 Stallion – Ventral,
 Boar - Posterior.

13. Bull Ram
Stallion
Boar

14. • Examining the scrotum
Inguinal Hernia Cryptorchidism

15. Closed Method
 Anaesthesia:
 Not required.
 Animal Position:
 Lateral or Dorsal recumbence with the head and
limbs restrained properly.
 Standing position.

16. Burdizzo® Clamp(Head)

17.  The spermatic cords with the blood vessels
leading to the testicles are crushed.
 One spermatic cord clipped at a time.
 Clip the two cords at different levels .
 Scrotal sac will receive enough blood
 Otherwise it will become gangrenous.
 Thrombus formation in the spermatic vessels.
 Arrest of blood supply - Gradual atrophy of the
tasticles.

18. Crush sites

19. Lateral placement of
Restraining position spermatic cord

20. Crushing of the Spermatic cords using
Burdizzo clamb

22. Uncastrated Animal Animal castrated by
Burdizzo method

23. ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Bloodless. Chance of injury to the animal
Less chance of infection -no or operator.
open wounds. Mistakes while clamping:
No risk of maggot infestation if Slip of the cord from the crush
done during the fly season. Lack of blood supply to the
More painless than cutting. scrotum – gangrene – infection.
Quick and easy. Cord may be incompletely
crushed .

24. Elastic Ring Banding
 The rubber ring is placed around the scrotum
with the testicles below it.
 Scrotum falls off within few weeks.
 Elastrator
 Young animals
 Before 10 days of age.
 Calicrate Bander – adult animals

25. Elastrator

26. Elastrator with Rubber band

27. Californian Bander
Callicrate Bander

28. Correct Position of the
Elastic Rubber Ring
Anatomy of the Spermatic cord

29. Both testes should be palpated in the
scrotum before Rubber ring is placed

30. The whole of both testes should
be palpable below the Rubber ring

31. Rubber rings should not be used in calves > 1 week of age

32. Elastic Ring Banding
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Bloodless. Rubber ring may brittle before
Painless than cutting. scrotal atrophy.
Quick and easy. Age limitations.
Less chance of infection. Wound infection - Tetanus.
No risk of maggot infestation - Missed testicles
Fly season. Pain, Discomfort – reduced
Scrotum fall off on their own . growth rate.

33. Short Scrotum Method
 The rubber ring is placed around the scrotum with
the testicles above it .
 Testicles are pushed up against the body wall.
 Testicles at body temperature - Infertile but still
getting the growth benefit of male hormones.
 The scrotum drops off after a few weeks.
 If the testicles aren't held high enough against the
body, the animal may be fertile.

34. Short Scrotum Method
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Better growth and FCR than Aggressive behavior not
steers – Testosterone in changed.
circulation. Risk of live sperm production,
Bloodless. if testicles not placed high near
Less chance of infection. the body.
No risk of maggot infestation - Rubber ring brittle.
Fly season. Mistakes while applying
More painless than cutting.

35.  Immunization against sex hormones such as LHRH, LH,
FSH, and hCG.
 Reversible and subsequent fertility was normal.
 Antibodies against LHRH
 First intracellular messenger of the control of fertility
 Block pituitary secretion of LH and FSH - lead to gonadal
dysfunction
 Lamb, Heifer - reduction of fertility
 Vaxstrate ® - Australia - Suppresses ovarian cyclicity for 6 to 8
months.

36.  Immunization against testosterone in rams
 Not characterized by inhibition of sexual behavior and
 No suppression of testicular function?
 Chem-Cast®, Improvac® - pig
 Immunization against ova and sperm
 Anti-male or anti-female monoclonal antibodies !
 Block gamete interactions - sperm antigens, ZP3 antigen

37. Chemical or Immunocastration
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Painless procedure Not as effective as cutting or
Reduction in aggressive banding
behavior – no Testosterone Not a permanent method
No risk of blood loss, infection Need to vaccinate at regular
May be reversible intervals
Limited duration of effect
Risk of vaccine failure
Chance for drug adverse
effects

38. Open Method Castration
 Open Uncovered or “Open Open” method
 Vaginal tunic incised
 Correction of the scrotal hernia - Horses
 Open Covered or “Open Closed” method
 Vaginal tunic sutured
• Emasculator
• Newberry castrating knife
• Castrating knife
• Henderson castrating tool

39. vaginal tunic - opened
Cremaster
muscle
Parietal
Tunic
Ligament of tail
of epididymis
Epididymis Tail
Ligament
of Testis
Testis

40. vaginal tunic - intact
Cremaster
muscle Tail
Epididymis
Testis
Scrotal fascia Parietal Tunic

41. Closed Method
 Anaesthesia:
 Age – young – not required
 Local infiltration
 Site of incision
 Testicles, Spermatic Cord
 General Anesthesia
 Animal Position:
 Lateral or dorsal recumbence
 Standing position.

42. 2 Crushing/1 Cutting surface

43. Serra emasculator White emasculator
Hausmann emasculator White modified

44. Single action (crushing) Placement of Dual-action Emasculatome
Emasculatome on spermatic cord.
Dual-action Emasculatome Dual-action Emasculatome
Cutting surface Crushing surface

45. Henderson castrating tool

46. Newberry Castrating Knife
Castrating Knife

47. TESTICLES
VAGINAL
VAGINAL
TUNIC
TUNIC
SCROTUM

48. Vertical Incision method Horizontal Incision method

49. Single horizontal incision at the widest part of the scrotum
PROXIMAL 3RD
MIDDLE 3RD
DISTAL 3RD

50. Spermatic cords are seperated by blunt dissection

51. Spermatic cords are being emasculated

52. LOCAL ANESTHETIC
Pre surgical scrub At the place of incision
LOCAL ANESTHETIC
Inside the testicle
LOCAL ANESTHETIC
In the spermatic cord

53.  Two Vertical incisions are made on the each
testes about 1 cm from the median raphe.
Vertical Incision on the
side of the testicle

54.  Testis grasped between
thumb and forefinger
 1st incision made for
the length of the testis

55.  The incision is
continued through the
tunica dartos and
scotal fascia
 The common tunic left
intact
 Pressure exerted by
the thumb and
forefingers to extrude
the testis

56.  The testis grasped in the one hand and s/c tissue
is stripped from the common vaginal tunic
proximally
Vaginal Tunic separation
by Blunt dissection

57.  The common tunic is
incised over the cranial
pole of the testis

58.  One finger is hooked
within the tunic to
maintain the tension,
the incision continued

59. The testis is now
released from the
common tunic
Spermatic cord
seperated from the
ductus
deferens, common tunic
and external cremaster
muscle

60. Spermatic vessels are
emasculated after leaving
as much of the common
tunic as possible
Spermatic cord is
crushed by a crusher

61. Legation around the Spermatic cord is severed by
spermatic cord Emasculator below ligation
Application of antibiotic powder
in the scrotal sac each side

62. Open Method Castration
ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES
Permanent method Blood loss and other post op
No chance for sperm complications
production More chance of infection
Reduction in aggressive High risk of maggot
behavior – no Testosterone infestation if done during the fly
For both young and adult season
Not reversible
Require more skill

63.  Piglets less than 3 weeks
can be restrained by
holding their hind legs
around the hock.
 Inguinal and scrotal
areas are scrubbed with
suitable disinfectant.

64.  By pressing on the
scrotum, the testes
are pushed cranial
into the inguinal
canal.
 A longitudinal
incision made over
the each testis

65.  Using blunt
dissection the
scrotal ligament
seperated from the
testes

66.  Spermatic cord
severed proximally.
 Scraping performed
in a direction away.
from the animal
body.

67. • Inadequate wound drainage
• Inadequate post op exercise
Swelling • Poor lymphatic drainage
• Excessive surgical trauma
Hemorrhage • Pulsing stream – Testicular artery
• Foreign body (non absorbable suture)
Scirrhous cord • Poor technique
formation • Inadequate exercise and drainage
• Fluid filled painless swelling from the vaginal
Hydrocoele tunic

68.  Monitor for hemorrhage.
 Concurrent immunization - Clostridium.
 Open method - Blowfly attacks and infection.
 Moderate exercise – promote drainage.
 Antibiotic therapy - If swelling, pain, temperature.
 Supportive fluid therapy.
Still 3 or more weeks to be sterile!

69. Farm Animal Surgery
By Susan L. Fubini, Norm G. Ducharme.
Surgical Techniques in Large Animals, 2nd ed.,
By A. SIMON TURNER, C. WAYNE McILWRAITH.
Veterinary Surgical Techniques
By Amresh Kumar.
Bovine Surgery and Lameness, 2nd ed.,
By A. David Weaver, Guy St. Jean, Adrian Steiner.
Ruminant Surgery
By R.P.S.Tyagi, Jit Singh.

70. Thank You