# Who uses the side crusher to castrate?



## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I have just seen too many issues lately with banding. Not only kids I've banded but kids others have banded as well. Testicles rotting off, gangrene setting in, infection, etc. Maybe its the climate, or a certain type of bacteria we have here. I have no idea. 

Its been super stressful. Last year I didn't castrate any make kids because of the stress.

So this year I purchased a side crusher from a friend. I guess you just clamp it down and they keep the testicles but they shrink. 

I am doing 5 bucklings for a friend on Thursday. Any advice? I have three ramlings of my own to do, plus 2 bucklings I will likely do as I'm not sure they're up to snuff for to be breeders.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Never used one but good luck.


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## Suzanne_Tyler (Jul 19, 2014)

Following. I'm thinking of switching as well. I don't have to do any this year though


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## HJoy (Mar 22, 2018)

Crush each cord seperately, don't try to crush straight across and get both at once
Crush each cord twice, once and then again a little further away
Monitor them closely especially when you are first learning as there is a learning curve and you may miss one and have a buck that can still breed
I know people have great success with them and like that they can castrated later, but I still prefer banding just for the peace of mind it grants me in knowing for sure that I got them both. I will do bull calves or bucklings who have gotten too big with a burdizzo still though


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Well I've got about 10 to do in the next few days all together so I guess I'm going to get proficient at it really fast. 

Too much issues with banding. Worse case scenario here is that I have to re crush.


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## HJoy (Mar 22, 2018)

I am sure you will do great! It will be nice to have several to crimp in such a short time frame as you will really get to practice. Good luck!


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

I feel like I'm going to have to redo a couple of them, at least on one side. I noticed one side it seemed harder to get the sperm cord to stay in place. So we shall see. Poor little buddys. They were not happy campers but they recovered SO MUCH FASTER from the stress than with banding. Like as soon as I took the clamp off they were like "whatevers lady!!".


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Glad it went well.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

Thanks, there has been a ton of stress here from the earthquakes and lava that I needed a distraction and a win today. lolol

I feel like a winner! I don't charge anyone but am glad when I can help provide male goats with better home options because they won't be bucky or stink so badly (in most cases) and do it as humane as I can.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Will you have to evacuate? I just saw on the news about the lava.


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## capracreek (Apr 5, 2016)

Good luck - I still prefer banding and have had no problems yet.


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## Lamancha Lady (Dec 13, 2011)

That is what I have been using ever since I started with goats and I love it. Its super easy to use, I like that there is no wounds or bleeding. I crush each side for 10 seconds. I never had any problems with it.


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

ksalvagno said:


> Will you have to evacuate? I just saw on the news about the lava.


I'm about 10 miles from the lava so the worst I have to deal with I think is ash, gas, projectiles, and poor air quality. Today its pretty smelly and I've had to use my inhaler, which I rarely need.

Time will tell how bad it gets. Maybe once the lava has vented a bit it'll calm down. I have a lot of friends in the evac zone, and many of them were up all night with other friends with livestock trailers yanking every animal they could out of the area. There was a lot that had to be left behind the area is not stable enough to walk/drive in because of the lava flowing under the roads/under ground. So that part really really sucks.


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## goatblessings (Jan 6, 2015)

Oh my Dayna!! Prayers for you, I hope it doesn't get worse. Blessings to you!


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

How awful. Prayers that you and your animals will be fine.


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## yankeedoodle (Apr 13, 2018)

Hope everything works out fine. It is one thing to see it on the news but hard to imagine dealing with such things as apart of regular life!
My cousins lived in hawaii during one of the worst earth quakes that happened there. They said that they looked out the window and the ground was doing waves just like the ocean!!
Good luck!


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

We had a huge quake yesterday. Half the goats took off. Thankfully I was able to locate them before dark. Other than crappy air quality all is okay.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

I hope it all stops soon for you.


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## CrossTheCreekFarm (Apr 29, 2018)

I would agree that your climate likely makes banding less desirable. I started out using the burdizzo, but I had several failures, even after repeating on some of the bucks. I'm not sure if it's the tool itself, or if I missed something in the million plus tutorials I read and watched. I switched to banding, and haven't had any issues, but I have tried to do it in the cooler months. I hope it works out for you. I may try the side-crusher eventually.


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## jschies (Aug 15, 2014)

How are you?? Do have to evacuate now? I heard the news people say that the whole island should evacuate.


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## singinggoatgirl (Apr 13, 2016)

Hope things are ok for you, Dayna!


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

jschies said:


> How are you?? Do have to evacuate now? I heard the news people say that the whole island should evacuate.


I am fine, I'm 10 miles from the lava. The whole Island shouldn't evacuate. I think the news is being a bit dramatic. Its very slow moving lava, and in an area where we are pretty familiar with dealing with lava issues. We had a flow nearer to me in 2014. There is no way for this lava to effect most of the island, it flows down hill and is only I think 30 miles uphill from the ocean. So as soon as it figures out how many vents it wants, it'll just meander down to the water.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

That is amazing that 10 miles from the lava you are fine. Glad you don't have to evacuate.


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## jschies (Aug 15, 2014)

That's good to hear!


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## singinggoatgirl (Apr 13, 2016)

See, this is why I like asking people who are actually near the action what's going on. When I lived in a fire-prone area, the news always got it wrong. Not just exaggerated. Wrong. I'm glad you are okay! Hopefully it doesn't want a vent anywhere near you.


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## wndngrvr (Dec 10, 2011)

We use a burdizzo and like the results much better. The first one I ordered my hubby said was made cheaply and sent it back and got one from Premier sheep supply We do a side at a time and have only had to redo a sheep once. I hold the goat and my husband does the deed - twice on each side. I like that there is no wound and the recovery is nile. They don't look all hunched like sometimes the banded ones do. I think the pain is quickly over. No chance of infection is a big bonus.


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## ksalvagno (Oct 6, 2009)

Still doing ok Dayna?


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## Dayna (Aug 16, 2012)

ksalvagno said:


> Still doing ok Dayna?


Thank you yes. We have two different but I guess related events going on.

On one side of me lava erupting in like 21 or so fissures. Creating a lot of sulfer and nastiness. People losing their homes, evacuating, etc. Thats about 10 miles away. Then the opposite direction Halemaumau crater is about 17 miles from us doing some steam/ash/boulder eruptions. So far the wind is blowing the ash away from us, for which I am very grateful.


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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

Dayna said:


> Thank you yes. We have two different but I guess related events going on.
> 
> On one side of me lava erupting in like 21 or so fissures. Creating a lot of sulfer and nastiness. People losing their homes, evacuating, etc. Thats about 10 miles away. Then the opposite direction Halemaumau crater is about 17 miles from us doing some steam/ash/boulder eruptions. So far the wind is blowing the ash away from us, for which I am very grateful.


Glad you are still okay. That has to be scary in between the two occurrences.


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