Is there a medical reason why we can't castrate colts like lambs?

[Mare Stare]

Just a random numpty question that popped in my head.

For those not familiar with sheep, boy lambs are castrated by placing a small, thick rubber band over the goolies to cut off the blood supply. It is exactly the same method as banding a sarcoid.

Besides horses being much bigger than lambs, is there a reason why a similar method wouldn't work with horses?

And don't worry - none of my horses have gonads so I won't be tempted to experiment! (But there's always my husband..... )

 

[team barney]

I don't know, I'd presume it was because horses aren't as easy to restrain as lambs. Also with horses we don't want them to associate the human touch with pain, with lambs they don't really care too much on that front. I don't know how painful the banding is (I've tried it personally!) but I have seen a few lambs reactions to having it done, so I presume it hurts a reasonable amount, at least initially.

 

[Miss L Toe]

Lambs are born with testicles descended, colts [and boys] are not.
Calves can be castrated by the Burdizzo method, where the balls are grasped firmly, and a clamp is used to "cut the cord", it is bloodless.
Btw in ye olden days we used to "pop the boy lambs and cut with a knife, not as gory as one would imagine, but probably illegal nowadays, it was all good clean fun.

 

[fburton]

Testicular torsion -- where a testicle ends up rotated so that it's the wrong way round -- can cut off the blood supply resulting in colic-like pain and swelling due to ischaemia and (eventually) tissue necrosis. This is in adult stallions, where the blood supply is more developed than in foals. However, I wouldn't be surprised if cutting off the blood supply caused considerable pain in foals too.

 

[SusieT]

Mostly because by the time their testicles have dropped (generally) they are too old for this method and also beause they kick backwards hene we don't squeeze them like we do cows!

 

[Mare Stare]

I don't know, I'd presume it was because horses aren't as easy to restrain as lambs. Also with horses we don't want them to associate the human touch with pain, with lambs they don't really care too much on that front. I don't know how painful the banding is (I've tried it personally!) but I have seen a few lambs reactions to having it done, so I presume it hurts a reasonable amount, at least initially.

I was just thinking that it could be a cheap way to control the breeding of hill ponies and horses that aren't destined to be around people much. I imagine it would hurt a fair bit.

Lambs are born with testicles descended, colts [and boys] are not.
Calves can be castrated by the Burdizzo method, where the balls are grasped firmly, and a clamp is used to "cut the cord", it is bloodless.
Btw in ye olden days we used to "pop the boy lambs and cut with a knife, not as gory as one would imagine, but probably illegal nowadays, it was all good clean fun.

Lol. Castration actually fascinates me. I've seen so many methods used by vets over the years - and that's just with horses. Would it not work with older colts/stallions/husbands?

 

[lq22]

Lambs are born with testicles descended, colts [and boys] are not.
Calves can be castrated by the Burdizzo method, where the balls are grasped firmly, and a clamp is used to "cut the cord", it is bloodless.
Btw in ye olden days we used to "pop the boy lambs and cut with a knife, not as gory as one would imagine, but probably illegal nowadays, it was all good clean fun.

This /\


*You've got to pick a pocket or two*

 

[DebbieBrand]

I believe lambs have to be done with the rubber band within the first 24 hours of life.

 

[Brady1]

It is illegal to use the rubber band method on lambs after 7 days of age, partly due to the lack of analgesia. Not that it isn't painful before that! So i guess it would be illegal to do so in horses?!

 

[fiestiemaestie]

foals testicles are horizontal whilst lamb testicles are vertical and pendulous... so there is no distinct area that is easy to band. horses also have larger inguinal canals proportionally to sheep, so there is a larger risk of herniation.

In my experience ringing lambs is most defenitely painful (they writhe in pain for a bit!!) and has to be done between one and seven days.. so not really a useful way for moor bred animals, as they would have to rounded up!

 

[tristar]

i saw some colts castrated by using sticks attached to their bits somehow, on the continent, they were 2 year olds and did'nt see bothered by it, it looked like soe sort of strangulatiion process.