CASTRATION OF LAMBS 279 



woolly receptacle for dirt, the manure of the sheepfold is the 

 lambs' litter, and even in sheep kept out of doors, they lie 

 about in denuded places where the flock congregates to feed. 

 If lambs are castrated without precautions to prevent wound 

 infections from these harmful conditions many of them 'often 

 fall -victims to septic complications, which, in addition, are 

 frequently aggravated by inclemencies of the weather. A 

 cold rain, a sudden drop of the temperature or a storm is 

 often a serious matter to a flock of castrated lambs. The age 

 at which lambs should be castrated is less important than the 

 prospects of good, warm, spring weather and a new, clean 

 pasture for them to inhabit during the first ten days follow- 

 ing the operation. In addition the manure of'the sheepfold, 

 which is usually allowed to accumulate during a whole win- 

 ter, should be cleaned out and a fresh litter of straw supplied, 

 should weather conditions necessitate a re-confinement of 

 the flock. 



A table, a bucketful of mercuric chloride solution 1-200 

 containing a large number of pledgets of cotton, and a sharp, 

 strong pair of scissors is the equipment required. The scis- 

 sors are immersed constantly in the antiseptic solution. 



The lambs are held by an attendant who sits upon the 

 table adjacent to the bucket of antiseptic solution. The four 

 . legs are gathered together and held with the right hand, 

 and the head with the left. The body rests upon the attend- 

 ant's knees with the buttocks pointing toward the operator. 



The scrotum is at once soaked with the antiseptic rinsed 

 from the pledgets of cotton, which are cast aside when soiled. 

 The apex of the scrotum is picked up with the fingers of the . 

 left hand and excised with the scissors, which are immedi- 

 ately returned to the bucket of antiseptic. Both exposed tes- 

 ticles are then grasped firmly between the second and third 

 fingers of the right hand as the finger tips of the left squeeze 

 them out of the scrotum. The extirpation is then affected by 

 traction. As the cords are being drawn out the fingers of 

 the left hand, still in the same place, press upon the scrotum 

 as if to close the wound as the cord is leaving it. This 

 squeezing of the scrotum* with the left hand prevents wool or 

 any dirt particles from entering the wound. 



Protecting pastes such as tar, shellac, wound varnishes 

 or collodion are harmful. If any antiseptic is applied to the 

 wound it should be iodoform. 



AFTER-CARE. — As soon as the lamb is castrated he is 

 turned into the pasture or a specially cleaned place pre- 

 viously provided to receive the operated animals. In no case 



