Handy farm tools: Emasculator
An emasculator, at times referred to as emasculatome, is a pair of double-hinged pincers for castrating domestic animals by crushing the spermatic cord through the unbroken skin.
An emasculator, at times referred to as emasculatome, is a pair of double-hinged pincers for castrating domestic animals by crushing the spermatic cord through the unbroken skin.
Crushing the spermatic cord destroys the blood supply to the testes. Without this blood supply, the tissues eventually become a atrophic even though the scrotum will be visible for the animal’s lifetime.
Castration results in sterility, decreased sexual desire and inhibition of secondary sex characteristics. It is performed for the purpose of improving the quality of meat, decreasing aggressiveness of farm animals or to prevent unwanted mating behaviour, reproduction and wandering.
There are several methods of castration, but these can be broadly classified into three major groups; physical, chemical and hormonal. Today we look at the physical method using emasculator or emasculatome.
Although it is recommended that castration of animals is done by a trained veterinarian, with sufficient instruction, it is a process you can carry out yourself.
Whatever the method, it is recommended that castration should be done when the animals are younger than six months or as soon as the testicles descend into the scrotum since the stress of castration can adversely affect growth in older animals. Where possible, apply anaesthesia to the animal being castrated.
Using an emasculatorWash your hands and disinfect the emasculator since it may break the skin.
Have the animal secured
Wash the upper portion of the scrotum (near to where it attaches to the body) and disinfect.
Grasp the scrotum in one hand and manipulate until you have the testes down into the scrotum and the spermatic cord between your fingers.
Place the jaws of the emasculatome onto the upper scrotum, just below the rudimentary teats.
Position the jaws so that about two-thirds of the scrotum is crushed when the jaws are closed. Leave the instrument closed for 15 to 20 seconds. l Open the jaws and move the instrument about 1/2 inch lower and crush the other side of the scrotum.
Note: The spermatic cord is very elusive when you try to crush it. Be sure that you feel it within the jaws of the emasculatome before and after the jaws are closed. Even though this is supposed to be a bloodless method, it is possible to break skin with the corners of the emasculatome. Examine each animal carefully after castration. If the skin is broken, apply an antiseptic and administer an injection of tetanus antitoxin.
On-line sources
Crushing the spermatic cord destroys the blood supply to the testes. Without this blood supply, the tissues eventually become a atrophic even though the scrotum will be visible for the animal’s lifetime.
Castration results in sterility, decreased sexual desire and inhibition of secondary sex characteristics. It is performed for the purpose of improving the quality of meat, decreasing aggressiveness of farm animals or to prevent unwanted mating behaviour, reproduction and wandering.
There are several methods of castration, but these can be broadly classified into three major groups; physical, chemical and hormonal. Today we look at the physical method using emasculator or emasculatome.
Although it is recommended that castration of animals is done by a trained veterinarian, with sufficient instruction, it is a process you can carry out yourself.
Whatever the method, it is recommended that castration should be done when the animals are younger than six months or as soon as the testicles descend into the scrotum since the stress of castration can adversely affect growth in older animals. Where possible, apply anaesthesia to the animal being castrated.
Using an emasculatorWash your hands and disinfect the emasculator since it may break the skin.
Have the animal secured
Wash the upper portion of the scrotum (near to where it attaches to the body) and disinfect.
Grasp the scrotum in one hand and manipulate until you have the testes down into the scrotum and the spermatic cord between your fingers.
Place the jaws of the emasculatome onto the upper scrotum, just below the rudimentary teats.
Position the jaws so that about two-thirds of the scrotum is crushed when the jaws are closed. Leave the instrument closed for 15 to 20 seconds. l Open the jaws and move the instrument about 1/2 inch lower and crush the other side of the scrotum.
Note: The spermatic cord is very elusive when you try to crush it. Be sure that you feel it within the jaws of the emasculatome before and after the jaws are closed. Even though this is supposed to be a bloodless method, it is possible to break skin with the corners of the emasculatome. Examine each animal carefully after castration. If the skin is broken, apply an antiseptic and administer an injection of tetanus antitoxin.
On-line sources