CAS'l'RATKlN OF TIIK RAM 



117 



tratoJ i-anis and lambs areknown as welliers, and wethers eommand a 

 luuc'h hio-liei- market price than rams. If male sheep ar(^ to he raised to 

 full maturity for mutton purposes, I hey should always l)e castrated when 

 lambs. 



Age— Vvimi a week to ten days old is a popular and safe ajie at which 

 to castrate. However, some i)refer operating' later. There is no doubt but 

 what the mortality rate following castration ra|)idly increases with ag-e. 

 For that reason, if for no other, the early operation is most advantageous. 



Season — Winter and early spring. Weather conditions i>lay an impoit- 



I- ..' . .^^Jti^'- '"**i^M^\ 



Fig. 96 — Restraint and position for castration of large rams. B, Three feet 

 fixed together: F and G, position of assistant's hands; H. scrotum. 



ant part in the success of the operation. Cold rains and sudden drops in 

 temperature should be avoided as much as possible. An extra effort 

 should be made to select seasonable weather. 



Preparation — Limited diet for twenty-four hours before operating. 



Restraint and Position — A favorite method — both as regards restraiiit 

 and jDosition — is for the assistant to gras]i the legs and place the animal 

 on its rump as shown in Figure 9"). 



Figure 96 illustrates a satisfactory method of confining large and heavy 

 rams for castration. Both the fore and Ihe right hind legs are fixed to- 

 gether by means of a cord (E). The assistant grasps the left hind leg (F) 



