SECTION IV 



CASTRATION OF SOWS 



As has beeji said of heifers, the increased demand 

 for sows suitable for breeding purposes has led to a 

 noticeable conservation of these animals. The females 

 of better stock are too valuable for spaying, generally, 

 and those that are fed for maT'ket are usually fattened 

 before the estral period attending puberty materially 

 interferes, or else they are bred while being fattened. 



Preparation of the Subject.— Food and water should 

 lie withheld 12 hours before operating, and the animal 

 should l)c kept in clean (|uarters for a certain limit('<i 

 time prior, so that the skin may not be in a badly 

 soiled condition. 



Age for Operating. — Sows are best handled from two 

 to four months of age. 



Restraint. — The animal should be confined upon some 

 suitably improvised opeiating table which is positioned 

 in a sloping manner to cause the head of the subject 

 to hang considerably lower than the hind quarters, 

 and either the right or left flank of entry is convenient. 



Preparation of the Surgical Area. — The hair is then 

 clipped from a liberal space in the flank region ante- 

 rior to the external angle of the ilium, and the field 

 cleansed by means oC a swab and gasoline and imme- 

 diately painted with tincture of iodin. 



Technic. — In small sows, an incision of sufficient 

 size to admit one or two fingers, is made through the 

 skin, fascia and abdominal niucles. With large adult 



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