Castrating an older bull

[Olga]

Well, I have located an alternative breeding bull to replace Earnie. So in the mean time I have decided to castrate Earnie, who is now 6 years old. After reading articles on cutting vs banding, I have decided to go with the California Bander. I found it at our locals store, as a start-up kit that included a few bands. I will be using it on both Earnie and Jupiter (who tested PHA+). Earnie will be processed for ground beef at the end of summer.

www.inosol.com/thecaliforniabander.html

Has anyone used this tool?

[lakeportfarms]

Apparently it must work and it's a lot less expensive than the callicrate bander that we use. Since you're doing just the two it's probably not worth the investment in the Callicrate. If you were planning on late castration on a regular basis though I'd bite the bullet and buy the Callicrate.

My worry would be in getting the bands tight, and trying to slip the surgical band through the little clip with a bull jumping around, even in a squeeze chute.

[carragheendexters]

Hi Olga,
have you thought about using a Burdizzo? I have seen a demonstration of one being used on a mature bull, and there didn't seem to be much of a reaction at all from the bull. It seemed to be very easy to use and very quick. Also no risk of infection or flies. However I have also been told, (by a very experienced livestock vet, a friend of ours) that contrary to what is advertised and promoted about it, there is still a risk of internal bleeding.

[marion]

IMO, as you are intending to butcher in a few short months anyway, it would be preferable to house him elsewhere with a companion or to butcher him now. Any possible benefit of castrating a bull of his age I believe would be outweighed by the stress on the animal..marion

[ladena]

I didn't find that tool when I was researching. I did some checking on the Callicrate bander after reading about it here but it is pricey.
I'd probably go with Marion on this one especially since you are doing hamburger anyway.
We had an almost 4 year old bull done and we did cuts and he was still good.
Take care, LaDena

[hollydzie]

We also use the Callicrate and it works great, I like to let my bull calves reach about 10 months old before castrating them. BUT, if he is going to the butcher that soon castrating him may have an adverse reaction and cause weight loss. JMHO. Good luck

[hollydzie]

ladena, just curious what cuts did you get from your bull? We are doing a 2 yr old bull in the next month or two. I was just going to get ground beef. Thanks Holly

[ladena]

Holly, right off the top of my head, we did steaks(rib eyes and New York strips), tenderloin whole, lots of roasts(arm, chuck, rump, peak?), sirloin, round steak, short ribs, soup bones, brisket, fajitas, heart, liver, tongue and some hamburger.
The meat was lean partly because of him being a bull but also because when we called the butcher he said we would have to wait a month because they were doing the kid's show animals. By the time we could take him it had started getting hot and he had lost a bit of weight. Everything tastes great though.
take care, LaDena

[kansasdexters]

Hi Olga,

I agree with Marion, it isn't a good idea to castrate a 6-year old bull that you intend to process for beef in a few months. It doesn't matter what castration method you use, the stress of castration, coupled with the stress of the hot summer weather that we're about to get, will likely result in undesirable weight loss. It would be preferable to allow him to enjoy his last few weeks in peace. Put him on your best green, growing, grass pasture for a month or so; then have him slaughter before the weather gets too hot and the grass goes dormant.

The cuts that are the best from an older bull include the following:

Brisket
Tenderloin - I like to get this as a whole tenderloin roast
Sirloin Steaks or Sirloin Roasts
Ribeye Steak
Flank Steak
Arm Roasts
Top Round Roast
Bottom Round - make into minute steaks
Eye of Round Roast
Meaty Soup Bones (Shanks)
Marrow Bones (cut into 2-inch lengths) - use for making brown stock

The chuck roasts on an older bulls have considerably more connective tissues and bone than with a younger animal, so I prefer to keep the arm roasts and grind the chuck for ground beef. The rump and the round are good for cutting into stew meat or making into minute steaks (tenderized).

Bull meat is typically very lean, so the ground beef will be very lean. If you process a fatter steer, at the same time as the bull, you can ask the butcher to use some of the kidney fat (internal fat) from the steer to adjust the fat content in the ground beef from the bull.


Patti

[hollydzie]

Oh wow thanks so much Patti

Holly

[Olga]

Thanks for the advice. I too have heard that castrating might not make a positive difference. My plan was to butcher him in 120 or so days after. I am very limited in my pasture, I have two to choose from. I have lutalysed Macy and took her and her 4 mo old heifer calf to a separate pasture. That left the 3 bred cows and a bred (to a different bull) heifer Polly, Jupiter and the bull in the 2nd pasture. I might just castrate Jupiter then and leave the bull be.

[ssrdex]

Hi Holly, we also took in our 27 month old bull for processing, and the meat is lean but is delicious, all the standard cuts. Unless you guys are burger freaks, don't be afraid to ask for what you want.
For what it's worth Olga, I'd do what I could not to have to castrate Ernie. The issues of doing it and the problems that could come from it are not worth it, IMO.

[cddexter]

Olga, I speak with a fair amount of experience, as I didn't steer any of my meat bulls, and did some of the breeding bulls in up to 7 years of age. I know there's this old cattlemen's tale about uncut bulls spoiling the taste of the meat, but I didn't find that, and nor did anyone buying meat from me, either, regardless of the age of the donor. Sure, if the bull is all fired up and hot to trot, maybe, but I killed in the fall, everything female was either already bred, or too young to come into heat yet.

Also, don't put all of him into hamburger unless that's what you prefer. Tell your butcher to use a sharp knife, start with the good cuts, and only move over to hamburger when the knife starts to feel dull (i.e. the meat is getting tough). You should be able to get steaks and some good rump roasts as well as hamburger. At least that was what worked here. The first older bull I did, I listened to the gossip of the knowledgeable neighbors. The butcher told me he hated to grind up all that great meat, the better cuts weren't tough at all, and was I really sure I didn't want to save some....

cheers, c.

[rhonda]

Have you thought about just taking him now so you don't have to worry about what to do?

[Olga]

Actually no, I haven't. My freezers (plural!) are full. I would have to find buyers for most of the meat, except some steaks perhaps. Earnie is pretty beefy so I wouldn't be surprised if he hung over 600 lbs.