Vet charges for castrations of cattle

[nelly55]

What’s everyone paying.I need a strong drink before looking at the bill again

 

[had e nuff]

Vet used to charge their hourly rate plus extra for local anaesthetic. Think it was about £120 hour.

 

[Farmer 83563]

What’s everyone paying.I need a strong drink before looking at the bill again

... lad who lives local to us does it for £5 / head with hot irons

 

[beefandsleep]

In the past I’ve done it with Stanley blade and anaesthetic but I don’t think that would be legal these days. They flinch more from the jab than the knife. I assume you are talking about older cattle too big to ring.

 

[TheRanger]

In the past I’ve done it with Stanley blade and anaesthetic but I don’t think that would be legal these days. They flinch more from the jab than the knife. I assume you are talking about older cattle too big to ring.

That's how the vet does it. local anaesthetic and a scalpel.

 

[Optimus]

Had the vet do one the other week.he just used a scalpel no anaesthetic.

 

[beefandsleep]

Had the vet do one the other week.he just used a scalpel no anaesthetic.

Advantage being they don’t make the dogs mouth go all floppy.

 

[ridger]

Last I had done was £6 a head but that's at least 3 years ago

 

[M-J-G]

100 rubber rings are a couple of quid and applicators are a fiver.

 

[delilah]

Had vet do one recently, three figure sum, was a retained testicle that hadn't been able to get a ring over. All of our vet bills seem eye watering but what can you do ?

 

[AndrewM]

£10 head plus meds

 

[Dry Rot]

You guys need to get a few horses. £350 to £250. (Changed the vet after the first!).

 

[MRT]

You guys need to get a few horses. £350 to £250. (Changed the vet after the first!).

Every single horse in the history of castration seems to require a midnight revisit as its still bleeding! (Its usually not). Strangely, the horse types don't find any comfort in the fact that bloodloss is always self limiting!

 

[Bill the Bass]

... lad who lives local to us does it for £5 / head with hot irons

Is that legal...?

 

[beefandsleep]

Had vet do one recently, three figure sum, was a retained testicle that hadn't been able to get a ring over. All of our vet bills seem eye watering but what can you do ?

Possibly be better to rear those odd ones as bulls considering the cost. Used to be rare to get vet to carry out minor procedures, stockmen were expected to be competent at such things. Everyone seems to go to college these days, what are they teaching them?

 

[Farmer 83563]

Is that legal...?

Good question. Anyone know the answer? He's done it (hot irons method) for about 40yrs without any problems. They rarely bat an eylid as he's very good with cattle. IMO much better than 'twist and pull' method some vets use.

 

[delilah]

Possibly be better to rear those odd ones as bulls considering the cost. Used to be rare to get vet to carry out minor procedures, stockmen were expected to be competent at such things. Everyone seems to go to college these days, what are they teaching them?

Agreed for a normal farm, we have lots of novices helping out, one bull on the place is enough to manage elf and safety with lol.

 

[delilah]

Used to be rare to get vet to carry out minor procedures, stockmen were expected to be competent at such things.

Just going to throw the attached in here, apologies it's off thread, but highly relevant to the point you make.

 

[Pan mixer]

Agreed for a normal farm, we have lots of novices helping out, one bull on the place is enough to manage elf and safety with lol.

I too had a calf with a retained testicle that couldn't be ringed, same vet I suspect, extra £100 odd quid on the bill when he came for his inspection next

 

[AndrewM]

Good question. Anyone know the answer? He's done it (hot irons method) for about 40yrs without any problems. They rarely bat an eylid as he's very good with cattle. IMO much better than 'twist and pull' method some vets use.

Castration Under the Protection of Animals (Anaesthetics) Act 1954, as amended, it is an offence to castrate calves which have reached two months of age without the use of an anaesthetic.
Furthermore, the use of a rubber ring, or other device, to restrict the flow of blood to the scrotum, is only permitted without an anaesthetic if the device is applied during the first week of life.
Under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966, as amended, only a veterinary surgeon may castrate a calf which has reached the age of two months.

116 Stock-keepers should consider carefully whether castration is necessary.
If it is necessary, there are three methods which can be used to castrate calves:
• a rubber ring or other device, which can only be used in the first seven days of life, by a trained and competent stock-keeper, to restrict the flow of blood to the scrotum;
• bloodless castration, by a trained and competent stock-keeper, by crushing the spermatic cords of calves less than 2 months old, with a burdizzo;
• castration by a veterinary surgeon, using an anaesthetic.