62 Western Lave-stock Management 
cannot be expected as on alfalfa. The calves, when 
isolated in a corral, will be weaned before the winter is 
over, but should be left in the feed-lot until the grass 
comes. If the number is large enough to divide, the 
heifers and steers may be separated, and the steer calves 
fed the larger and better rations. There is little danger 
that steers will not pay for all the hay they will eat the 
first winter, but heifers must be handled with more econ- 
omy. When fall calves are raised, they need not be 
weaned until about ten months old. This long sucking 
period is the advantage of the fall calf besides the fact 
that he can be weaned on pasture instead of dry hay. 
CASTRATION 
Castration is usually performed somewhere between 
the ages of one and five months. Generally speaking, 
the earlier the better after the calves are strong and 
vigorous. After the age of five months, the sexual char- 
acters begin to develop and the animal will have a staggy 
appearance. The better the calves are fed, the earlier 
they must be castrated to avoid all danger of stagginess. 
Castration of calves is performed by two methods; cut- 
ting vertical slits in the front of the bag or scrotum to 
take out the testicles or cutting off the entire lower end 
of the scrotum. Some buyers of steers judge the con- 
dition of the animal by the size and filling of the “cod” 
or “purse” (the scrotum after the testicles are removed). 
Many cattle-men, therefore, object to cutting off the end 
of the scrotum, since it makes the cod appear smaller. 
But others prefer this method since it guarantees perfect 
drainage of the wound and easy healing. In the other 
method, perfect drainage may be obtained by taking 
