Planning for castrating spring-born bulls

There has been a swing back to steer production over the last year or so in Ireland as a result of some indications coming from beef processors against young bull production.

However, before you castrate calves this year, it may be worth speaking to your local processor to see what the appetite is like for bulls in the coming 12 months.

At a time when farmers are being asked to become ever more efficient, it seems a shame to turn our backs on animals that are 12% to 18% more efficient at converting feed to liveweight.

Steers

Where animals are destined for the mart sales ring, there is a definite preference for steers, and having animals castrated will leave your stock with more potential buyers ringside.

In spring-calving systems where you have decided to go down the castration route, now is the time to do so. Getting this job done well in advance of weaning will allow the animal sufficient time to get over the stress of castration.

Procedure

Legally, male calves over the age of six months must be administered with a local anaesthetic, which means involving your local vet.

Under six months of age, there is no legal requirement to administer either painkiller or anaesthetic. However, many vets are recommending the use of a painkiller for a procedure like this. It will help reduce pain and stress minimising the disruption to the animal.

Many vets are recommending the use of a painkiller for a procedure like this

A study carried out by Dr Bernedette Early at Teagasc Grange looked at the difference between banding castration and burdizzo castration methods.

The study found that males that were castrated using the burdizzo method performed slightly better in the first two weeks prior to castration compared to banded males but from week five onwards there was no difference in performance.

Timing of castration

In another study, males were castrated at either six or 13 months of age and followed through to slaughter on the same production systems.

Interestingly, there was no difference in slaughter age or carcase weight between the two age groups at the end of the trial.

Putting a plan in place

If you are planning to castrate male animals in the next couple of weeks, one of the first steps is to ensure the animals have received a tetanus vaccine.

While farmers may think that animals are covered for tetanus once they have received their clostridial vaccination, it is important to note that not all clostridial vaccinations include tetanus.

It is also important for animals to have received a two-dose initial clostridial vaccination to maximise immunity.

The two doses should be given four to six weeks apart. Where a single dose was administered earlier in the year, if it is more than six weeks ago then another two dose programme will be required.

Farmer safety

Take time to carefully plan out the procedure. Facilities need to be sufficient to restrain the animal properly. This is not a job that farmers should be completing on their own.

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