How to Band a Male Goat

Typically, castration is performed on young male goats (kids) when they are a few days old. According to Goat Wisdom, banding is the the most popular method of kid castration due to the fact that there is no cutting and thus, no bleeding. Banding is achieved by using small, thick rubber bands to cut off blood flow to the testicles, causing them to dry up and fall off.

Things You'll Need

• CD/T vaccine
• New, sterile syringe
• 7 percent iodine tincture
• Elastrator bands (lamb size)
• Elastrator pliers
• NTZ Puffer powder
• Fly repellent

Instructions

1. Administer a CD/T vaccine to the kid prior to castration. You must give the kid a booster vaccine 3 to 4 weeks following the initial vaccination.

2. 

   Have someone hold the kid in an upright position with his hind legs hanging free.

3. Complete a test to determine if the kid is ready for castration. Apply firm pressure to the kid's lower abdomen and press his testicles into his scrotum. Do this 2 or 3 times to make sure that you are able to move the testicles with ease. If you cannot force the testicles into the scrotum, you will need to wait 2 to 3 days and try again.

4. 

   Apply a 7 percent iodine tincture around the entire area (360 degrees) above the testicles.

5. Place a single elastrator band halfway down the prongs of the elastrator pliers. Hold it firmly with the prongs pointed up. Grasp the skin at the base of the kid's scrotum and pull it through the band.

6. 

   Expand the band with the pliers and move it up close to the kid's abdomen and over his testicles. If his testicles are not under the band, use your other hand to apply pressure and force them down (as you did in the test in Step 1). Do not let go of the elastrator handles. If you cannot move BOTH testicles below the band, you will need to terminate the procedure and try again in 2 to 3 days.

7. Make sure that both testicles are below the band, then, using your free hand, pinch off the portion of the sack above the band to prevent the testicles from slipping back up. Using the elastrator, move the band until it is almost resting on top of the testicles (if it is too far up it can cause a severe rupture).

8. 

   Release the handles of the elastrator and, using your free hand, pull the band off of the prongs. Make sure that band placement is correct, and then apply more iodine around the entire area.

9. Stand the kid up on all fours and make him walk around. He will be terribly uncomfortable, but that should ease within 1 to 2 hours and he will be back to his normal activities.

10. Check the wound every 2 to 3 days and continue to slather it with iodine to prevent infection. If at any time you observe any raw skin, apply NTZ Puffer powder. If the weather is warm, you should also apply fly repellent to keep flies from laying eggs in the wound. Within a week or two the sack should shrink, dry up and fall off.

Tips & Warnings

• The younger your kid is when you band him, the smaller his testicles will be, and the easier it will be on him (and you).

• If the castration goes awry in any way--especially if you accidentally inflict a wound or there is bleeding--place a pressure bandage over the wound and take your kid to a veterinarian immediately. Following castration, if an open sore develops on the kid's abdomen, take him to a veterinarian for immediate treatment. A serious infection could occur if the sore is not treated. Only use a pair of professional elastrator pliers. DO NOT attempt castration using a homemade device or cheap knock-off.

References

• Goat Wisdom: Castration
• Castrating Male Goats
• CD/T Vaccination

Resources

• Goats and More Goats: The Goat Pages
• Goat Wisdom