What – Definition, Other Related Terms .

Why – Reasons, Advantages and Disadvantages.

When – Age, Season.
How – Different methods
 Instruments,
 Anesthetic control,
 Procedure and Complications,
 Advantages & Disadvantages.
 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.
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.341
Essentials of veterinary surgery, 8th edition by A. Venugopalan
 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
Steer 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 .
DISADVANTAGES
Lower FCR by 13% .
Lower leaner meat.
Decreased Daily weight gain
10 to 20 % .
More fat deposition.
Carcass composition %
 1 – 2 months
2 weeks
First week
1 – 1.5 year

Season:
• Early Spring or Late Fall -
• Avoid extreme Climates, Fly season
 Steer/
Ox/ Bullock

Wether/Wedder/
Dinmont

Wether/Wedder/
Dinmont

Barrow/Hog

Geld/Gelding
 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 ?
 Location of Scrotum and testicles
 Bull – Ventral and Pendulous,
 Ram and Buck – Ventral,
 Stallion – Ventral,
 Boar - Posterior.
Bull Ram

Stallion
Boar
• Examining the scrotum
Inguinal Hernia Cryptorchidism
 Closed Method
 Anaesthesia:
 Not required.
 Animal Position:
 Lateral or Dorsal recumbence with the head and
limbs restrained properly.
 Standing position.
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.
Crush sites
 Lateral placement of
Restraining position spermatic cord
Crushing of the Spermatic cords using
Burdizzo clamb
Uncastrated Animal Animal castrated by
Burdizzo method
 ADVANTAGES
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.
DISADVANTAGES
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 .
 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
Elastrator
Elastrator with Rubber band
 Californian Bander

Callicrate Bander
 Correct Position of the
Elastic Rubber Ring

Anatomy of the Spermatic cord

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 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.
 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.
 Short Scrotum Method
ADVANTAGES
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.
DISADVANTAGES
Aggressive behavior not
changed.
Risk of live sperm production,
if testicles not placed high near
the body.
Rubber ring brittle.
Mistakes while applying
 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
Painless procedure
Reduction in aggressive
behavior – no Testosterone
No risk of blood loss, infection
May be reversible
DISADVANTAGES
Not as effective as cutting or
banding
Not a permanent method
Need to vaccinate at regular
intervals
Limited duration of effect
Risk of vaccine failure
Chance for drug adverse
effects
 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
vaginal tunic - opened

Cremaster
muscle
Parietal
Tunic

Ligament of tail
of epididymis
Epididymis Tail
Ligament
of Testis
Testis
vaginal tunic - intact

Cremaster
muscle Tail
Epididymis

Testis

Scrotal fascia Parietal Tunic

 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.
2 Crushing/1 Cutting surface
 Serra emasculator White emasculator

Hausmann emasculator White modified

 Single action (crushing) Placement of Dual-action Emasculatome
Emasculatome on spermatic cord.

Dual-action Emasculatome Dual-action Emasculatome

Cutting surface Crushing surface
Henderson castrating tool
Newberry Castrating Knife

Castrating Knife
 TESTICLES

VAGINAL
VAGINAL
TUNIC
TUNIC

SCROTUM
Vertical Incision method Horizontal Incision method
 Single horizontal incision at the widest part of the scrotum

PROXIMAL 3RD

MIDDLE 3RD

DISTAL 3RD
Spermatic cords are seperated by blunt dissection
Spermatic cords are being emasculated
 LOCAL ANESTHETIC
Pre surgical scrub At the place of incision

LOCAL ANESTHETIC
Inside the testicle
LOCAL ANESTHETIC
In the spermatic cord
 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
 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
 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
 One finger is hooked
within the tunic to
maintain the tension,
the incision continued
The testis is now
released from the
common tunic
Spermatic cord
seperated from the
ductus deferens,
common tunic and
external cremaster
muscle
Spermatic vessels are
emasculated after leaving
as much of the common
tunic as possible

Spermatic cord is
crushed by a crusher
Legation around the Spermatic cord is severed by
spermatic cord Emasculator below ligation

Application of antibiotic powder

in the scrotal sac each side
 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
 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.
 By pressing on the
scrotum, the testes
are pushed cranial
into the inguinal
canal.
 A longitudinal
incision made over
the each testis
 Using blunt
dissection the
scrotal ligament
seperated from the
testes
 Spermatic cord
severed proximally.
 Scraping performed
in a direction away.
from the animal
body.
 • 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
 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!

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.
Thank You