CASTRATION OF PIGS.

Auckland Star, Volume LXI, Issue 221, 18 September 1930, Page 25

CASTRATION OF PIGS.

In a note in the "Journal of Agriculture/, Yeterinaiian ; J.,yE. Mcllwaine, MJR.CViS'., points 'but that many of the dressed pig carcases jentf to the freezing works haye abscesses" in tho scrotal region at the seat Of * castration, apparently the result of infection, gaining entrance at the time of the operation. If the general grading of pork is introduced, as,: called for by the recent conference at Palmerston North, such abscesses, may debar carcases from export. , Tho extra dissection required to remove the abscesses is liable to injure the bintiquarters, especially involving valuable cuts. It is usual to,carry out the operation of castration 'when the young pigs are about three,or four weeks old. Occasionally it may be necessary to, castrate an older animal, but '■ farmer are advised" to make it a' practice of castrating, a.t. an nearly age. The actual requirements for tlie operation need ,not necessarily comprise any elaborate outfit, but emphasis' must be laid on the necessity for' cleanliness. Thorough cleanliness of the-hands, the operating knives, and the quarters occupied by the pigs both before and after the operation, is essential to prevent sepsis and' abscess formation. Cleanliness as applied to the operating knife means sterilising by boiling for a few minutes. . The blade niay' ; be wrapped in cotton woo! during boiling. Cleanliness in the quartere means a clean bed of fresh straw, or if the pigs' are in the open, a fresh green paddock with a,good sole of grass. The hands should be scrubbed, and l attention paid to the finger-nails, as the nails often come in actual contact with the. wound during the removal, of 'the testicle. The following is a procedure which should give good results, provided the foregoing precautions are taken. The knife is already prepared, and it is also desirable to have a bucket' containing a, weak solution of a reliable antiseptic at hand. Wiien not in use, the knife should be returned to the .bucket of antiseptic and left there till again required. An assistant seizes the pig by one of the Jnnd legs arid carries it to the operator. It is' usual to fix the pig with the nose under one arm (squealing may be thus .and 'the assistant, holding a hind leg in each" hand and seated, 1 exposes the site • of' operation. The;- , operator .paints the site with tincture qf iodine, or,; if much dirt is present, swabs the site with an antiseptic solution contained in a separate .vessel.from that containing the knife. One testicle is, isolated between the fingers arid thumb of,the left hand, the skin is firnlly held over 'the testicle', and an. incision made frorh ,one end to the other, when the^testicle'is exposed. With sueh yourig ■animals/it is usual to scrape the cord for detaching, the testicle.' The risk' of hemorrhage is very slight.; -The same procedure is adopted ■.'with. , .the: outer testicle, and before the •animal is released in its clean surroundings .theV wounds' are flushed by pouring some antiseptic into them. This Js obtained fronr the .vessel used to contain the; knife.' The knife may be returned to this vessel until another pig is jirqcured > for the opOfation*" Probably a Qommon cause of abscess formation is fact that' the incision in many cases is'too small, and does not aliotir proper drainage at tho. lowest afterwards. • Of cOui*se, thorough cleanliness ehoulil be observed ,by the bpefator" throughout. Once a beginner .'sees an exp6rieh6ea operator do the job, he. shduld, be ablft td. ; perform- it .satisfactorily. ■ ', »y-; : -: v