You put the little cheerio on the pointy things then stretch it out. Does yours have a lock to hold the rubberband in the max stretched position? There were 2 kinds at the supply store, I have the "pricier" one... and I know it locks.. not so sure about the less expensive model.
What I do is get the band all set up then get my "patient".
I check the patient to make sure he has both testicles dropped down. Feel & make sure both are there. There is a while, when they're young that the testicles seem to go up & down. You have to get both or you've wasted your time.
I checked some of my older boys today, those born the last week of January & none were down well enough to band.
If both are down & want to stay down, I set the boys on their butts, like a shearer would do to a woolie to apply the band.
I pull & hold the testicles down while manipulating the tool with stretched band up towards to tummy.
Continue to hold the testicles in one hand, while un-locking the lock to close the rubberband with the other hand. With your third hand, roll/push the rubberband off the pointing things. Once the band is off the tool & not over any of your fingers, roll the rubberband back down AWAY from the tummy towards the trapped testicles.
You want spare skin between the tummy & the rubberband. I did this on my first banding... didn't roll the band down.. and there wasn't quite enough skin left to close up. Don't do this!!
Give the boy a tetnus vaccination, and let him go.
In my experience, the boys walk off like nothing happened then later I see them stomping their back feet trying to get whatever has latched on them to fall off. :-(
I have an adult ram I want to castrate... but he's toooooooo big to fit in the bands.... I had the vet out to do an older ram before & it was awful... ugh... I hate to have to put this ram thru that.
I *like* him. Has anyone used one of those bigger banders?
Diane
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