INTEODUCTION 11 



the quality of the n^ilk is improved in the least. In 

 -those instances where it is undesirable or inconvenient 

 to breed milk cows, the estral period interferes materi- 

 ally with lactation at each regidar recurrence. In such 

 cases spaying is advisable. 



The best age for castrating the various species is a 

 much-debated question, as many circumstances govern, 

 in a measure, the decision in different cases. It is gen- 

 erally conceded that a colt is best castrated between 

 the ages of nine and twenty-four months, though some 

 stock owners are firmly of the opinion that colts should 

 not be altered until they are two years of age, claiming 

 that this delay enables the animals to attain better 

 physical development. AVhile this may be ti'ue in cer- 

 tain cases, yet in the average thrifty colt, particularly 

 of the draft breeds, the gain in certain parts of the 

 physique is offset by pronounced undesirable charac- 

 teristics which manifest themselves because of late 

 castration. The vigorous draft colt castrated at the 

 age of two years may possess a better developed head, 

 neck and fore quarters than does the one operated on 

 at a year of age, yet the croup and hind quarters of 

 the first, are not developed in proportion to the fore 

 quarters, there resulting an asymmetrical conforma- 

 tion. Because of the fact that the testicles normally 

 descend at or soon after birth in the normal foal, in a 

 few cases the inguinal canal remains somewhat lax and 

 loose, making castration of a foal during his earlier 

 months, an unsafe procedure, as hernia and even even- 

 tration may result. Under average normal conditions 

 the best age for castrating colts is between nine and 

 twelve months. Males of the bovine species are best 

 castrated when very young, and since the operaxiou 

 apparently causes the sub.ject a minimum degree of 

 discomfort and there is no reason for not operating 



