# Burdizzo/Emasculatome vs banding



## rebelshope (Sep 21, 2008)

I know many on here use banding, I was wondering if anyone has used the burdizzo or another emasculatome? I have heard and read many concerns about banding being cruel but I am not sure that crushing the testicles would be any better.

I am confused about which method I would like to use. I would like to hear about personal experience with any method.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

here is an old post about it ...if you want to read them.... :greengrin:

viewtopic.php?f=26&t=1937


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## crocee (Jul 25, 2008)

In my opinion both are cruel but unless you want an over run of bucks it must be done. I will be banding our little guys if hubby lets me. Right now I have 3 bucklings, 1 will stay a buck because of his pedigree, the others really need to be wethered but hubby wants them intact because they are NuManchas and he likes the gopher ears.


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## RunAround (Feb 17, 2008)

I band. To me it's the most humane and safe method of castrating. So far I haven't had any issues at all with it and no mistakes.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

I band because it is effective for me as a small breeder. When I told my brother how people think banding is cruel he was like "why? after a few minute it just goes numb and he doesnt feel a thing" So there you have it from a guy  

I would love to know how to use a burdizzo but I dont know if I have the hand strength to use it properly and you have to wait a little longer to see if it was done right and the sack starts to shrival. 

I personally like the smooth belly if it is going to be a wether....not misunderstandings later with people thinking down the line he maybe a buck because he still has a bit of a sack - not understanding how he was neutered.


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

I didnt jump in on the other thread so here goes ... 

I band the boers and dairy kids, its cheap quick and simple. 

I do the angoras myself, surgically, mainly because of all the hair it takes the band a LOOOONG time to fall off. 

I dont use a burdizzo cos they are so so so expensive, and I dont see that it gives any advantage really. Any of the ways is gonna hurt. 

Kindof an aside, I had to take Chappy to the vet to get castrated, cos he was a cryptorchid (retained one testicle). They had to knock him out, open him up along the belly, and go searching. They found it near his kidney, only the size of your thumb nail. He was around 3 mths old at the time. Cost me $580 if memory serves me right. That was way back when I only had a handful of pet goats and more money lol


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## lesserweevil (Oct 5, 2007)

I use the burdizzo, and get my neighbour to do it as he has a pair. It's basically just a clip, and it doesnt crush the testicles, it crushes the tube that goes to the testicles. 2 clips each side (1 for good luck) and it's all done.

LW


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

Personally, I prefer either the burdizzo or surgical method. Banding creeps me out...I'm sure it probably doesn't hurt the goats any more than the other options...The thought (and sight) of it just bothers me. I'd rather have it over relatively quickly. 

My husband had a dog that was banded by it's breeder once and when his "sack" came off it left this huge gaping, bleeding hole...not sure why that would have happened...but eek! That kinds of thing scares me...I want to feel like I have a little more control over the procedure, I guess.


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## StaceyRosado (Oct 5, 2007)

You should never band a dog. their anatomy is totaly different.


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## FunnyRiverFarm (Sep 13, 2008)

StaceyRoop said:


> You should never band a dog. their anatomy is totaly different.


Yeah, maybe, but a lot of people do it because they don't want/ can't afford the vet bills...it's a pretty common practice in rural areas. Most of the time there aren't any complications...but every now and then there are...my husband ended up spending as much at the vet get his dog's wound stapled shut than he would have just getting the dog fixed there...but unfortunately the breeder had already made the decision to band the dog before he brought it home...


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I band....it's cheap and easy.....


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## keren (Oct 26, 2008)

common practice around here to band tom cats, cos there are so many of them. Better than killing them, cos if you neuter him and release him again, he'll still protect his territory and keep other strays away. 

some people cut them as well, just depends on what method they use for their livestock. Most dogs around here are working dogs anyway, so you dont want to neuter them, but pet dogs I've seen done by a farmer either rings or knife.


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## goathappy (Oct 5, 2007)

We use the Burdizzo, I can't stand banding, and I just feel the Burdizzo is more humane. We castrate about 30 bucks a year and we have been using it since we've had goats and out of approx. 50-60 kids we've done only only 3 have not 'taken' and we got half bucks. I think that was mostly operator error though as we were just learning how to do it then.


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