CASTRATION IN LARGE ANIMALS

What – Definition, Other Related Terms .Why – Reasons, Advantages and Disadvantages.When – Age, Season.How – Different methods

Instruments, Anesthetic control, Procedure and Complications, Advantages & Disadvantages.

CASTRATION IN LARGE ANIMALS

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.

CASTRATION

Chapter 23 Surgery of the reproductive and genital system, Pg 517

Small Animal Surgery By Theresa W. Fossum.

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.341Essentials of veterinary surgery, 8th edition by A. Venugopalan

Reasons for Castration

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.

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGESSteer carcass higher price.Meat – Palatable; Marbling, Higher self life.Decreased dark cut -Muscle pH.

Hides are easy to remove.Reduced Sexual activity – Higher racing performance .

Lower FCR by 13% .Lower leaner meat.Decreased Daily weight gain 10 to 20 % .More fat deposition.

Carcass composition %

Castration

Best Age for Castration

Season:• Early Spring or Late Fall - • Avoid extreme Climates, Fly season

SPECIES AGE

Cattle 1 – 2 months

Sheep and Goat 2 weeks

Pig First week

Horse 1 – 1.5 year

Bull Steer/Ox/ Bullock

Wether/Wedder/ Dinmont

Wether/Wedder/ Dinmont

Barrow/Hog

Geld/GeldingStallion

Ram/Tup

Buck/ Billy Goat

Boar

UNCASTRATED CASTRATED

Animal Terms Related to Castration

Bull calf

Foal/ Colt

Ram lamb

Kid

Piglet

YOUNG MALE

Methods of Castration

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 ?

Male Reproductive System – Anatomy

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

RamBull

StallionBoar

Male Reproductive System – Anatomy

Before Castration,• Examining the scrotum

CryptorchidismInguinal Hernia

Closed Method

Anaesthesia: Not required.

Animal Position: Lateral or Dorsal recumbence with the head and

limbs restrained properly. Standing position.

Closed Method

Burdizzo® Castrator

Burdizzo® Clamp(Head)

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.

Burdizzo® Castration

Burdizzo® castration Crush sites

Restraining positionLateral placement of

spermatic cord

Crushing of the Spermatic cords using Burdizzo clamb

Und

amag

ed M

idlin

e (B

lood

sup

ply)

CLAMP CRUSSED AREA

CLAMP CRUSSED AREA

Uncastrated Animal Animal castrated by Burdizzo method

Burdizzo® CastrationADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Bloodless.Less chance of infection -no open wounds.No risk of maggot infestation if done during the fly season.More painless than cutting.Quick and easy.

Chance of injury to the animal or operator.Mistakes while clamping: Slip of the cord from the crush Lack of blood supply to the scrotum – gangrene – infection.Cord may be incompletely crushed .

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

Elastic Ring Banding

Elastrator

Elastrator with Rubber band

Callicrate Bander

Californian Bander

Anatomy of the Spermatic cord

Correct Position of the Elastic Rubber Ring

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

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

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

Elastic Ring BandingADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Bloodless.Painless than cutting.Quick and easy.Less chance of infection.No risk of maggot infestation -Fly season.Scrotum fall off on their own .

Rubber ring may brittle before scrotal atrophy.Age limitations.Wound infection - Tetanus.Missed testiclesPain, Discomfort – reduced growth rate.

Cryptorchid procedure 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.

Short Scrotum Method

Short Scrotum MethodADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Better growth and FCR than steers – Testosterone in circulation.Bloodless.Less chance of infection.No risk of maggot infestation -Fly season.More painless than cutting.

Aggressive behavior not changed.Risk of live sperm production, if testicles not placed high near the body.Rubber ring brittle.Mistakes while applying

Chemical or Immunocastration 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.

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

Chemical or Immunocastration…

ADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGESPainless procedureReduction in aggressive behavior – no TestosteroneNo risk of blood loss, infectionMay be reversible

Not as effective as cutting or bandingNot a permanent methodNeed to vaccinate at regular intervalsLimited duration of effectRisk of vaccine failureChance for drug adverse effects

Chemical or Immunocastration

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

Open Method Castration

Parietal Tunic

Epididymis

Testis

Spermatic vessels

Cremaster muscle

Vas deferens

HeadBody

TailLigament of Testis

Ligament of tail of epididymis

“Open Open” Method Castrationvaginal tunic - opened

“Open Closed” Method Castrationvaginal tunic - intact

Cremaster muscle

Parietal Tunic

Testis

TailEpididymis

Scrotal fascia

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.

Open Method

Reimer Emasculator 2 Crushing/1 Cutting surface

Different Types of Emasculator

Hausmann emasculator White modified

White emasculatorSerra emasculator

Single action (crushing) Emasculatome

Placement of Dual-action Emasculatome on spermatic cord.

Dual-action Emasculatome Cutting surface

Dual-action Emasculatome Crushing surface

Henderson castrating tool

Newberry Castrating Knife

Castrating Knife

SCROTUM

TESTICLES

VAGINAL TUNIC

VAGINAL TUNIC

Newberry Castration Technique

Vertical Incision method Horizontal Incision method

PROXIMAL 3RD

MIDDLE 3RD

DISTAL 3RD

Single horizontal incision at the widest part of the scrotum

Spermatic cords are seperated by blunt dissection

Spermatic cords are being emasculated

Pre surgical scrub

LOCAL ANESTHETICInside the testicle

LOCAL ANESTHETICIn the spermatic cord

LOCAL ANESTHETICAt the place of incision

Castration in Horse

Castration in horse… Two Vertical incisions are made on the each

testes about 1 cm from the median raphe. Vertical Incision on the

side of the testicle

Testis grasped between thumb and forefinger

1st incision made for the length of the testis

Castration in horse…

Castration in horse…

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

Castration in horse… 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

The common tunic is incised over the cranial pole of the testis

Castration in horse…

Castration in horse…

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

Castration in horse…

The testis is now released from the common tunicSpermatic cord seperated from the ductus deferens, common tunic and external cremaster muscle

Castration in horse…Spermatic vessels are emasculated after leaving as much of the common tunic as possible

Spermatic cord is crushed by a crusher

Spermatic cord is severed by Emasculator below ligation

Application of antibiotic powder in the scrotal sac each side

Legation around the spermatic cord

Open Method CastrationADVANTAGES DISADVANTAGES

Permanent methodNo chance for sperm productionReduction in aggressive behavior – no TestosteroneFor both young and adult

Blood loss and other post op complicationsMore chance of infectionHigh risk of maggot infestation if done during the fly season Not reversibleRequire more skill

Castration of the Piglet

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.

Castration of the Piglet…

By pressing on the scrotum, the testes are pushed cranial into the inguinal canal.

A longitudinal incision made over the each testis

Castration of the Piglet…

Using blunt dissection the scrotal ligament seperated from the testes

Castration of the Piglet…

Spermatic cord severed proximally.

Scraping performed in a direction away. from the animal body.

Post operative Complications• Inadequate wound drainage• Inadequate post op exercise• Poor lymphatic drainage• Excessive surgical trauma

Swelling

• Pulsing stream – Testicular arteryHemorrhage

• Foreign body (non absorbable suture)• Poor technique• Inadequate exercise and drainage

Scirrhous cord formation

• Fluid filled painless swelling from the vaginal tunicHydrocoele

Post operative management

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!

References…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 TechniquesBy Amresh Kumar.

Bovine Surgery and Lameness, 2nd ed.,By A. David Weaver, Guy St. Jean, Adrian Steiner.

Ruminant SurgeryBy R.P.S.Tyagi, Jit Singh.

Thank You