CASTRATION OF BULLS. 205 



however, castration is commonly postponed until the second year, 

 as the neck and shoulders are then better developed. 



The operation may be performed in the standing position ; only 

 old vicious bulls are cast. For operation in the standing position 

 the animal is tied up as short and as strongly as possible, a bull 

 holder is applied, and a rope is passed in a figure-of-8 fashion around 

 the hind limbs above tjie hocks. One or two strong assistants may 

 be placed on either side of the quarters to prevent the animal moving 

 laterally. The operator stands behind the animal, grasping the 

 scrotum with the left hand. Two incisions, H to 2 inches in length, 

 are made in the lower extremity of the scrotum, the testicles are 

 pressed out and the testicular cords are secured with fixation clams, 

 while torsion is effected by hand or by means of forceps. 



When castrating with clams, the operator incises the base of 

 the scrotum in two places (or cuts it off), dividing the skin, dartos, 

 connective tissue and serous coverings of the testicles. Short clams 

 are applied to the cords which are then severed, and the clams are 

 left in position for five or six days. 



Instead of incising the scrotum in two places, the scrotum and 

 dartos may be divided in the middle line, after which incisions are 

 made to the right and left respectively, exposing the deeper coverings 

 and enabling the testicles to be enucleated. A clam is then applied 

 to each cord, or the two cords may be included in one clam. 



In castration by the covered method, the procedure is identical 

 with the preceding, except that the incision of the scrotum does not 

 include the tunica vaginalis reflexa. 



Castration with the actual cautery is performed as in the horse. 

 Bull calves may be castrated by scraping the cord as already 

 described. " Bistournage," i.e. torsion of the spermatic cords within 

 the scrotum, is also performed. When successful it is followed by 

 atrophy of the testicles. It has chiefly been practised on bulls, 

 rams, and goats, and only occasionally on stallions. (See Moussu 

 and Dollar's Diseases of Cattle, Sheep, Goats and Swine, pp. 751-755). 



In South Germany, and especially in Bavaria, bulls are very 

 often castrated with the "caustic ligature," that is, a strong cord 

 saturated with a mixture of equal parts of sublimate and gum 

 arabic dissolved in water. Many experienced operators warmly 

 recommend this method, though some have noticed after- 

 symptoms of mercurial poisoning, especially in young animals. 

 An extensive eruption, which may persist for a month or six weeks, 

 occurs over the whole body, and is accompanied by local depilation. 

 This has been attributed to excess of sublimate in the ligature, and 



