TABLE OF CONTENTS
Castration in Cattle (Bulls and Calves): Methods, Procedures, and Precautions
Castration in cattle is the removal or inactivation of the testicles in male cattle (bulls or calves), typically performed to prevent reproduction and modify aggressive or undesirable behavior.
This procedure can be done using surgical (open) or non-surgical (closed) methods, and may or may not involve anesthesia, depending on the method and conditions.
Indications
- To make the animal docile.
- For easy management and maintenance as working cattle.
- For quick and economic fattening of beef cattle.
Age of Castration
- Calves: >2 months
- Adults: At any age
Methods
There are several methods of castration in cattle, including:
- Closed method using a Burdizzo castrator
- Open method
- Open covered method
- Open uncovered method
- Ablation of the scrotal skin
1. Closed Method of Castration
Closed method of castration is a non-surgical method where the spermatic cords are crushed using a Burdizzo castrator without making any incisions.
Anaesthesia
In field conditions, anesthesia is generally not required; however, epidural anesthesia may be used in some cases.
Procedure
- Restrain the calf/bull in a chute.
- From behind the animal the scrotum along with testis is held with hand.
- Keep the spermatic cord tense against the skin of the scrotum.
- The Burdizzo castrator is applied over the one side of the scrotal skin (ie. on spermatic cord) and the crush it.
- Apply the castrator on another side and proceed the same procedure.
- Care should be taken that the crush marks on the either side do not coincide.
- Each side of the spermatic cord is crushed two times. The crushing is done in such a way that first at higher level and then an inch lower.
- After crushing the testicle is pushed upwards after removing the castrator to prevent the adhesions at the points crushed.

Precautions to be Taken
- Care should be taken to avoid crushing the testicles.
- The sigmoid flexure of the penis should not be included with in the jaws of the castrator while crushing.
- The crushing lines on the skin on the either side should not coincide because it may cause sloughing of scrotal skin.
2. Open Method of Castration
Open method of castration is a surgical procedure where an incision is made through the skin and tunica vaginalis (the protective covering around the testis), exposing the testicle and spermatic cord.
- In the open uncovered method, the skin and tunica vaginalis are incised to expose the testicle and spermatic cord.
- The testicle is then removed by cutting spermatic cord. In the open uncovered method the tunica vaginalis is not incised.
- The testis and spermatic cord are pulled out along with their covering of tunica vaginalis and the testicle covered with tunica vaginalis is removed by severing the spermatic cord as such.
- The incision over the scrotum can be made on any side like anterior, lateral or posterior aspects of the each testicle. If you want to remove both the testes, it can be done by single incision on the median scrotal raphe. But in any case the incision is extended ventrally to provide drainage.
A. Open Covered Method
In open covered surgical method, the scrotal skin is incised, but the tunica vaginalis is left intact (not cut).
- Secure the animal in lateral recumbency.
- Pull the upper limb forward to expose the testis.
- Make a 10-15 cm long vertical skin incision over the median scrotal raphe.
- Separate the dartos and fascia by blunt dissection; exteriorize the testis along with spermatic cord enclosed in the vaginal tunic.
- Ligate the entire cord with heavy chromic catgut.
- The cord is transected and the testicle is removed.
- Exteriorize another testis through the same incision and remove as per the same procedure.
- The scrotal wound can either be sutured or left open for drainage and spontaneous healing.

B. Open Uncovered Method
Similar to the open covered method, but in this case, the tunica vaginalis is also incised, exposing the spermatic cord directly.
- Secure the animal in lateral recumbency.
- Pull the upper limb forward to expose the testis.
- Hold the testes in such a way that scrotal skin and tunica vaginalis are held tense.
- Make a 10-15 cm long vertical skin incision over the median scrotal raphe.
- Separate the dartos and fascia by blunt dissection; exteriorize the testis along with spermatic cord enclosed in the vaginal tunic.
- Expose the spermatic cord by incising tunica vaginalis.
- The vascular bundle of the spermatic cord is ligated as high as possible and is severed a little distance below the ligature.
- The testicle is removed.
- Exteriorize another testis through the same incision and remove as per the same procedure.
- The scrotal wound can either be sutured or left open after trimming the excessive skin for drainage and spontaneous healing.
3. Ablation of the Scrotal Skin
A more extensive surgical technique where the scrotal skin is surgically removed along with the testicles.
Procedure
- This ablation of the scrotal skin method can be applied in bull, ram and buck for castration.
- Sedate or tranquilize the animal.
- Infiltrate local anaesthetic around the spermatic cord.
- Make a circular skin incision on the scrotum about 5 cms from its base.
- Expose the spermatic cords and separate it from the scrotal septum.
- Ligate the cords and then crush and severe about 1 cm down the external inguinal ring.
- Suture the subcutaneous tissue and skin as standard procedure.