Page 265 - Agriculture_Form_Three

Agriculture for Secondary Schools

(i) Cast the animal and restrain it firmly.
(ii) Fix the rubber ring onto the elastrator.
(iii) Elastrate the rubber ring using the elastrator.
(iv) With the other hand, hold the testicles firmly and pass them through the
elastrated ring up to the neck of the scrotum.
(v) Loosen the elastrator and remove it while leaving behind the rubber ring
at the neck of the scrotum, just below the rudimentary teats.
Castration using burdizzo pincer
The burdizzo pincer will severe the cord without breaking the skin of the scrotum.
The testicles then shrink, atrophy and disappear in 1 - 2 months. The method is
applicable to large animals, for example, cattle, goats and sheep. Procedures of
castration using burdizzo are:
(a) Restrain an animal gently and make sure the animal will not escape from your
control.
(b) Take burdizzo and hold it firmly along the area of spermatic cord passing
through scrotum skin.
(c) Successive closing and opening of burdizzo jaws, tighten cords without it
sliding away.
(d) Up to an extent that burdizzo is about to close then release the animal.

Disbudding: This is the practice of removing of horn buds or arresting the growth
of horns at an early stage when the horn is in the form of a bud or button. In cattle,
disbudding is recommended at the age of 4 - 21 days during the dry season. The

method is done in animals which will develop horns. It is done by using a disbudding
iron or electric disbudding machine. The procedures of disbudding are as follows:
(i) Restrain an animal (calf, kid, lamb).
(ii) When restraining, put a disbudding iron in fire until it becomes red hot.
(iii) Place over a bud for 5 - 10 seconds while turning it half circles.
(iv) Then scoop out the bud by pressing the upper edge of the iron inward and
downwards.

(v) Complete a ring of sealed tissue to the depth of 2 mm around the horn bud.
Weaning: This is the action of stopping young animals from suckling their mothers
so that they feed on concentrate, forages and other feeds only. The time of weaning
and management practices of weaned animals vary between animal species and
production systems.

Student’s Book Form Three
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AGRICULTURE FORM 3 9.11.2022.indd 254 10/01/2025 12:32