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Legal, welfare and ethical issues related to castration in cattle
Answers
Legal requirements
- What limitations are placed on the age of cattle for castration?
In NSW it is illegal to castrate calves over the age of six months, unless under veterinary supervision.
- What methods of castration are recommended for use and does the age influence the appropriate method?
There are three accepted methods of castration:- Elastrator or rubber rings – is recommended for use up to two weeks of age but may be done up to six weeks.
- Knife - may be carried out up to six months of age.
- Emasculators or burdizzo – should be carried out as young as possible, but legally up to six months of age.
- Is anaesthetic required before castration?
Anaesthetic is only required for castration of animals after the age of six months and the castration must be performed by a veterinarian.
Animal welfare issues
- Why is castration routinely carried out?
Castration is the removal of the testicles. The testicles produce the hormone testosterone. Testosterone is the male sex hormone that is responsible for making bulls grow physically larger and behave more aggressively than steers or cows. Once the testicles are removed steers neither grow as large nor behave as aggressively as bulls. This means that they are easier to handle, are less destructive to gates and fences and are less likely to injure each other.
- What are some of the risks to the animal due to castration?
When animals are castrated by knife there is a risk of infection and flystrike because an open wound is formed.
Because calves are removed from their mothers to be castrated, some calves can suffer stress from the separation and have trouble finding their mothers once released.
- List some practices that help to reduce the stress on animals caused by the operation of castration.
The risks of infection and flystrike can be reduced by using sharp, clean implements for the incision, spraying the incision with an antibacterial fly powder or spray and by vaccinating the calves with 5- or 7- in -1 initially one month prior to castration and with a booster at marking.
Calves should be marked in small groups as this decreases the amount of time they are separated from their mothers, increases their ability to find their mothers and reduces the amount of time they are left in the yards where they suffer increased risk of infection.
No matter what method is used it is important to have a skilled operator carrying out the castration. This increases the success rate and the efficiency of the operation. Increased efficiency leads to calves back with their mothers more quickly and hence less stress on them.
Ethical issues
- While castration causes stress to the animals and considerable work for the producer, the advantages of it are obviously seen to outweigh both of these. Write your thoughts about castration and how the advantages must be considered against the disadvantages. Make sure you consider:
- the pain and stress on the animal
- the reasons for carrying out castration
- possible outcomes if castration was not carried out
- the advantages to the producer
- your background and own personal experiences (these help form your opinions).
- Castration obviously causes the young calf considerable pain and stress. If carried out by an efficient operator the stress placed upon the calf can be reduced.
- It is important that calves should be castrated before six months. Research has shown that younger animals recover more quickly and resume suckling earlier than animals castrated when older.
- The instruments used (knife) should be sharp. Calves should be vaccinated, kept away from their mothers for as little time as possible, kept in yards for as little time as possible and the wound sprayed with antibacterial fly powder or spray to reduce any complications or further problems.
- Calves are castrated to reduce their aggressive behaviour, make them easier and safer to handle, reduce the injury they may cause to other cattle and people and reduce the damage they cause to fences and equipment.
- If you have worked with steers and bulls, you will have some knowledge of their behaviour and be able to make a more informed assessment of the advantages and disadvantages of castration.
- Similarly if you have been involved in calf marking you will be able to describe the effects of castration and describe the effects of this operation on the calves.
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