[Jacob-list] Question on castrating ram lambs

[ARTHUR PARTRIDGE]

Has anyone had the vet castrate an older - 5 month old - ram lamb? I seem
to remember that it is done under a local anesthetic. Does that sound
right? 
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Hi Linda,
     Sorry for the delay, I am on the digest so get everything late.  Yes,
you are correct.  I liked the horns on one of my ram lambs so I decided to
wait for 8 months before castration in order to let the horns grow.  I held
the lamb down and my vet gave him a local anesthetic in the general area of
operation.  I didn't watch, so I can't tell you exactly what she did.  She
cut and snipped and it was done in minutes.  She didn't sew up the sack
allowing it to drain and heal.  We rinsed the wound in iodine and I watched
it for several days.  Cost was $75 ($40 farm call).  The castrated ram
walked funny for a few days, but then who wouldn't?  I have done it twice
since with ram lambs that have interesting horn sets.  By the way, they are
called 'wethers' if done before sexual maturity and 'castrated rams' if
done after.  I also found out that they will behave like intact rams;
aggressive, hormonal, etc.  But my castrated rams act just like the
wethers; in fact, the oldest wether is dominate over all the other
castrated males, wethers and rams, but not the old intact ram that I use
for breeding, he is still in charge.
Good luck, Cathy Partridge