Animal Castration 



15 



the location, the next problem which confronts us is the ^'casting 

 bed." The ideal operating mat or mattress is a plot of green 

 grass grown upon smooth ground. Always avoid the manure heap 

 or the "rotten straw pile" whenever possible. They are both hot- 

 beds of all forms of bacterial growth and are directly responsible 

 for many cases of fatal septic infections. If we are forced to 

 cast an animal inside of doors, then we must make the best of 

 our misfortune and get busy in devising means and methods to 

 best overcome that handicap. Select the place — be it hallway, stall 



Fig. 1— Stallion Cast on Left Side With Conkey Self-Lock Buckle Hol)bles. 

 Leg P Drawn from Over Field of Operation by Rope R. S. 



or operating room — where the most room is available. Then a 

 proper bed must be prepared. This may be done by the use of 

 tanbark, soft wood shavings, straw, hay, excelsior, sawdust, etc., 

 or a specially constructed mattress or pad may be used. 



Lead animal to proper position, put on twitch, apply the Con- 

 key self -lock buckle hobbles and cast him on the left side. (See 

 Fig. 1.) 



AVhen cast, the off hind leg should be released from hobble 



