CASTRATING LAMBS. 
595 
teen days old, to that of a month or six weeks. In some 
districts it is deferred to a much later period. We would, 
however, recommend it to be done early, as there is much 
less danger of inflammation occurring at an early period 
than there is at a later one. Attention must be paid to the 
state of health of the animal at the time, as if weakly, or 
labouring under any other disease, constitutional irritation 
may ensue, and death is most likely to follow. 
This operation is usually performed by the shepherd. It 
is executed by opening the scrotum or cod with a sharp 
scalpel, and drawing out the testicles with the spermatic cord 
attached to them. The arteries should be taken up, and 
secured by fine threads. Some shepherds perform the opera- 
ration with their teeth, but this is a barbarous practice and 
should never be permitted, as it is more dangerous as well 
as more painful to the animal. 
It is evident that this must be a painful and dangerous 
operation, when not judiciously performed ; and some lambs 
die on the day they are castrated. The second and third 
days, however, are those on which it may be judged of the 
probability of safely surviving it. This can be seen from 
the degree of inflammation; and it will be found that the 
greatest mortality is on the third and fourth days, in conse¬ 
quence of mortification, for which there is no remedy. 
Strict attention should be paid to the state of the weather 
when castration is performed: the atmosphere should be dry, 
but not too warm, and, if possible, the lambs which have 
been gelded kept in a dry, quiet, and sheltered situation, 
until the inflammation has subsided. If wet weather comes 
on, it would be prudent to have them removed to a shed, or 
barn, but not too many crowded into one place, as they 
should have room to move about freely. The operation 
should not be performed when the nights are frosty. 
