156 Castration of Ruptured Pigs 



lin, lysol, or carbolic acid and lard are good to put into a wound with a 

 syringe or long neck bottle after castration. Old boars may be castra- 

 ted the same as pigs. I have castrated them exactly the same way with 

 good success. However some people prefer to use an instrument called 

 the emasculator or ecraseur to crush the cord. 



These instruments are convenient and safe to use in the castration 

 of all animals. Hogs will not stand it to lose as much blood in propor- 

 tion to the body weight as a cow or horse. The ecraseur crushes the cord 

 and prevents bleeding. 



CASTRATION OF RUPTURED PIGS 



It is not unconmion to find a portion of the intestines in the same 

 sack with the testicles. Such pigs should be kept off feed but not water 

 for eighteen hours before castrating. 



Secure the following instruments to aid in castrating, however, it is 

 possible to fix a ruptured pig up with only a knife and needle and thread. 

 Have three feet of cobblers shoe thread, double it in the needle and 

 wax it well with rosin or bees wax to prevent tearing the striffen. Two 

 artery forceps will aid in getting the striffen. Put the needle and all 

 the metals including castrating knife in a pan of 5 per cent carbolic acid 

 or dip water. Have the attendant secure the pig by the hind legs and 

 hold him with the heels in the air and try to work the intestines into the 

 body cavity before cutting. If this cannot be done, castrate as usual, 

 but do not remove the testicle cord. Before castrating, be sure no intes- 

 tines are in the path of the knife. 



After castration, the lower intestines should be gently, slowly and 

 firmly pressed back in the body cavity with several of the fingers, while 

 the pig is held by the hind legs. Do not try to press the guts into the 

 body too fast. After the intestines are all in, by having the attendant 

 hold the testicle and grasping the lining membrane around the cord and 

 looking down the cord the opening into the body cavity may be seen and 

 if the striffen is torn several stitches in the striffen may be necessary. 

 With the artery forceps or fingers, seize the striffen on the sides of the 

 cord and raise it up. 



A stitch should be taken through the striffen as low down as possi- 

 ble but do not include the cord. This stitch, when tied around the strif- 

 fen closes the opening to the body cavity and the guts cannot come out. 



