[Jacob-list] Problems with Castrating

[Meg Steensland]

I have never wethered a sheep-wish I had done so to my 4H ram with lovely spots and really bad lobster horns.  But I did help someone with an angora goat once.  My job was just to hold the guy so she could do the job properly-takes longer than docking a tail.  From that experience, I would say it takes at least 2 people and the younger the guy, the easier.

Linda <patchworkfibers at alltel.net> wrote:          I was just working on a blog entry about the subject.  I am perhaps the worst castrator in sheep history.  Once again, I have missed a crucial part of the castration process!  And that pretty "wether" is just another freezer ram. He was butting heads yesterday and I thought I'd better check - and yep, he's a scrotumless ram. I'm going to have to start calling my wethers, whethers - as in whether or not I finally managed to get both testicles.  
   
  Since the testicle is in the body cavity, the heat should render your "rig" sterile.  But, he will breed and he will fight your real ram over the ewes.  And, like my first attempt, a bottle raised half castrated ram will not make a good pet.  It was quite embarrassing when my "wether" charged a perspective buyer.  I've read that the process of removing just the scrotum makes the sheep grow better for market.  I just pretend that's why I leave one testicle. 
   
  My favorite method is to have the vet do it.  At least she gets the job done.  It might be a somewhat more complicated operation to wether your boy now.  
   
  If anyone has advice on how to castrate properly, I'd sure be interested.  I very seldom wether anything, but when I do, it would be nice if it were a success.
   
  Linda
 
  www.patchworkfibers.com
  Registered Jacob Sheep, Angora Rabbits, Handspun Yarn


  > All,
  >
  >
  > This is my first year raising sheep, and I “castrated” two ram
  > lambs by the elastrator method.  Well, today I saw the two of them
  > acting rammy, and interested in the girls.  I caught them and
  > checked and saw that I removed the scrotums of both and one
  > testicle of one of them.  I’m selling the one ram (the one with two
  > testicles) tomorrow anyway, since his horns point straight down. 
  >
  >
  > The question I have is about the other one with the one testicle). 
  > He has nice wool, but I don’t want him breeding my ewes.  Any
  > advice?
  >
  >
  > Also, how can I avoid this next year?  Would another method help?
  >
  >
  > Thanks,   
  >
  >
  > Beryl Schwartz
  >
  > Stockton, Utah
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