Bull Calf Castration Question ???

[LouAnnDucky]

We have our first bull holstein calf that we bought from a local farmer a week old and bottle fed him...he is now off milk replacer and eating grain, top quality hay, and drinking water on his own...He is now almost 4 months old, huge and healthy...just turned him out to pasture a few days ago..

"Our question is...when is the best time to get him castrated???
and what would be the easiest and cheapest way to do this???"

P.S. We plan to have him butchered for our own meat (if we have the heart to do it, lol) and going to buy 2 more calves bull very soon...Pic below when he was one week old...

 

[aprille218]

I'd get him castrated asap. His hormones are going to be kicking in soon. As for how at this point knife cut would probably be the best for him. A vet would be the best bet. You'll need some way to restrain him ( a cattle chute would be great) and most large animal vets have one. Price depends on your area.
New calves: ask to have them banded before you get them. Basically a super tight special rubber band cuts off the blood supply to their testicles and they dry up and fall off. We do this to our calves when they are just hours old. They are much easier to handle at that size.

 

[GrandmaChickie]

If you have a head-chute, you can still use the "rubber-band' castration method, but the previous poster is correct--the smaller the better...and easier.If you've never done it before, it would be best to get some experienced/professional help. Also, you can eat the calf you have pictured--not saying you can't--but it is a Holstein, a dairy breed. An angus or angus-cross calf would give you more/better eating. You might try to find one of those for your next foray into home-grown beef. Good luck and good eating!