PRACTICAL

ANIMAL
MANAGEMENT
TECHNIQUES
1) Shoeing
2) Foot trimming
3) Castration
4) Docking , Dehorning
5) Debeaking
are practical management techniques
which are commonly applied to facilitate
the animal management.
(1) Foot trimming:-
■Def.
- Removal of excess horny growth of the
hoof wall and dead flakes from sole.

- Hoof growth is continuous

- Normal wearing during normal activity
Animal Timing &objects Tools used

1- Routinely every 8:12 Old horses;

Horse week. Toeing knife &
hummer
2-preparation for shoeing young horses:
Hoof cutter
3-mentain normal foot
conformation through ----
*correction of any
structural defect
*reshaping a crack…etc.
hoof pick (picker). used to remove dirt and
stones from the bottom of the horse’s hoof.

hoof knife. used to take off dried sole

tissue on the bottom of the hoof.

Nippers (either hoof pincer or hoof cutter)

used to trim the excess growth of the hoof.

Rasp used to shape the hoof and remove

sharp points made from the nippers
Hoof cutter
Cattl 1-extend the useful life of individual animal Claw trimmer
e 2-prepare animals for shows and sales. of cattle
3-correct the foot problems& maintain a normal foot
conformation.

4-young animals:

Corrective trimming (*young splayfooted animals).

5-Bulls should be checked one to two months before the

breeding season for excessive hoof growth.

6-dairy cattle:------every 6 months

Animal restraint,
Partial when manually lifting individual feet for
trimming.
Complete, as in a use of:
Tilt table. Or hoof trimming chute.
sheep Done in ----: Claw trimmer
1-Spring—at shearing of sheep
time
2-Fall---before
breeding
*To properly shape the
foot in young growing
animals
*To control foot rot in
older sheep
For older cows, instead of nippers, you can use a chisel and
rubber mallet
Precautions,
 The animal, should be kept in a clean
area for few days

 Animal shouldn't exposed to abrasive

surfaces stones or hard ground
 Drawbacks if foot trimming not done
In horse, excessed toe length. In sever cases, the
toes will curl up and perhaps be crossed, when
this occurs, the sole is bearing more weight than
the wall of the hoof.

In cattle and sheep, the foot has become

misshapen or the animal develops lameness
 (2) Castration:-
Def:-
Removal of testes, epididymis and
portion of spermatic cord either
Surgically or non- surgically
Castration of male
of different
species:-
 horse Beef cattle sheep poultry
Castrated geld steer Wether (wedder) capon
male

Age of 12:24 months -at birth 2:4 wks 2:4 wks

castration -at ear tagging -earlier with docking
-at less than 3 castration is not
months to recommended if the ram
minimize stress. lamb can be marketed
before they reach puberty
at 5 months of age.
objects 1. decrease 1. Consumer 1-Avoid buck odor 1-Increase weight
aggressiveness preference 2-Increase meat quality gain
2. It may improve an 2. For better 2-Increase meat
unmanageable animal quality, Producing a
horse’s disposition. disposition. more tender, tastier,
3. increase horse sweeter and juicier
monetary value meat
item horse cattle sheep poultry
(surgically only)  (surgically- open) 1)Surgically Surgically
operation In spring and fall 2)Non surgical: (the operation
-Emasculator called
 (non-surgically- caponization)
closed) -elastrator
“bloodless”

• (emasculatome or
burdizzo)

• ( elastrator and
rubber ring)
 Non surgical castration
castration knife emasculatome
(burdizzo)
In sheep In beef cattle and sheep
crush the spermatic cord and
blood vessels associated with
the cord without disturbing the
central septum of the scrotum.
Observe for evidence If atrophy doesn’t occur in one
of infection and or both testicles, repeat the
administer antibiotics procedure.
if infection is present.
elastrator and a rubber ring
In beef cattle and sheep
In beef cattle: best on animals of less than one to
two months of age
The rubber rings cut of blood circulation to the
testicles and lower scrotum, which will atrophy and
slough off in 3 to 4 weeks.
disadvantages are that tetanus and infection.
When this method is used, tetanus antitoxin should
be administered at the time of castration.
Burdizzo of cattle
Burdizzo of Sheep
Caponization
 There are some factor which must be
considered in capon production:
 1-Breed :
• Choose a breed or variety which is genetically cable of the efficient production of a
high-quality meat.
 2 – Bird health and vigor :
• Caponize only healthy and vigorous cockerels. Weak, sickly birds will not survive the
operation.
• A cockerel with an active case of respiratory or intestinal disease such a bronchitis
or coccidiosis should never been caponized.
 3 – Age :
• The best age for caponizing is 2 to 4 weeks, at a weight of 1.5 to 2 pounds.
 4 – Management :
• Good lighting, proper caponizing tools and adequate restraint of the bird are very
important in producing a successful operation.
 3)Dehorning
1)disbudding: 2)tipping 3)Dehorning

This is a practice Remove horn Remove horn tips Removal of the horn
means:
buds(buttons) tissue after the horn has
been erupted through the
skin &protruded in a
recognizable form

Used in: Young animals Adult animals Adult animals

 Disbudding
Definition:
Disbudding is the practice of removing the horn buds from the very young kid.
Objects:
1. Sharp horns,
■ Can inflict terrible bruises, punctures and laceration to the other
non-horned or less aggressive flock members.
■ Entangled in fences
2. Horn removal put all animals on an equal armament basis.
Methods of disbudding:
Chemical method.
Thermal method.
1- Chemical method using, caustic soda (stick/paste
or liquid):
■ Used for: kids at birth

2- Thermal method using disbudding iron:

 Dehorning:
Definition:
Dehorning involves the removal of the horn tissue after the
horn has erupted through the skin and protrudes in a recognizable
form.

■ Don’t dehorn pregnant or dairy animals, which will cause

abortion and decrease in milk production.

■ Don’t dehorn by any cutting methods during or less than 30

day before fly season or during extremely cold weather.
■ Maggots can be a problem during hot weather. The exposed sinus
cavity and blood that appear after dehorning provide an ideal
medium for parasitic infestation.

■ The open sinuses can lead to respiratory complications

during extremely cold weather.

■ The ideal time of year to dehorn by any cutting techniques

are in Spring before fly season
And in the fall after flies disappear

■ Bell shape dehorner, chemical and hot methods can be used

throughout the year.
Objects of dehorning:
1. Reduce the possibility of injury and bruising of animal as well
as the herdsman.
2. Any animal with horns can severely cut or bruise other
animals in the herd
↓
Reducing
Carcass value in beef
Milk production in dairy.
3. Horned animals,
■ more shed and feeding space
■ Are harder Require and more dangerous to handle
during routine management practices.
 Age of dehorning:
*Cattle:
Dehorning should be performed less than 2 month
To:
* minimize animal stress
*as the age of the animal increase, the technique become
↓
More difficult.
-cause more trauma →exposure to sinus cavity in head increase bleeding

*Sheep& goat:
According to horn length:
1-3 inch → immature animal
10-12 inch → mature animal.
 Method of dehorning:
A) Cattle:
1- Chemical method
using caustic stick or paste

 very young calves (younger than 1 to 2

weeks)
 rubbing on the horn until blood appears.
2- Thermal method using Bell–shaped
dehorners:
excellent method of removing horns from the calf at any age when
the horn button is less than ¾ inch in length. This is best done when
the calf is under four weeks of age.
Calves can be dehorned with a hot dehorner at any time before they
are four months old.
3- Mechanical method using,
A) Spoon (Gouge), Tube, or knife:

This system of dehorning involves the actual cutting

out and removing of the small horn button.

This is done in young calves (less than 2 months old or

having horns less than 1.5 inches long).

This method can also be used in calves 2 to 4 months

old.
 B) Barnes-type dehorners:
The Barnes- type dehorner is designed to
dehorn animals that are 4 to 12 months
old.
C) Dehorning clippers and saws:
The dehorning clipper is the most
efficient instrument for dehorning old
cattle from 1 to 2 years.

Dehorning saws
can be used to horn tip (cut ends
off) or to remove the entire horn.
The use of the saws is necessary
when the horn base is too large
for clippers or when abnormal
horn growth prevents the use of
clippers.
 Sheep and Goat:
Saw dehorning:

Elastrator dehorning:
 (6) Docking:-
Def:
It is the removal of the tail.

-The part of the tail remaining

in the body called ( dock )
 Object:-
1) To improve sanitary conditions since the long
wool on the tail will become saturated with feces
and urine and become a target for infection.
2) To increase productivity in ewes, in which the tail
may interfere with breeding and lambing.
3) To improve the appearance of sheep for
exhibition in the show ring.
4) To increase the value of market lambs.
To increase the value of market lambs
As:
*most breeders pay less for long tailed lambs
because the tail is inedible &may weight
several pounds.
* the fat deposited in tail will deposited between
muscle bundles giving marbling appearance
of meat)
 Age of docking:-
1) Lambs should be docked before they are 2
weeks of age
2) Strong and big lambs can be docked within 24
hours of birth, before they leave the lambing pen
3) Smaller and weaker lambs should be docked
later when their survival is assured
4) Lambs can be docked when they are more than
two weeks old, but the trauma and bleeding will
be greater.
Methods for lamb docking
 1- Sharp pocket knife with assistant holding
lamb
■ 1-Restraint the lamb, with help of assistant.
■ 2-locate the junction of the caudal folds with the underside of
the tail (about 1 inch from the body).
3- Force the loose skin surrounding the tail towards the body.
4- Place the knife blade on the tail and cut between the vertebrae.
5-Draw the knife blade toward you.
6-Use a squeeze bottle apply a 7% iodine solution to the
dock.
 2- Sharp pocket knife without additional
help
■ hold the lamb in standing position by placing the neck&/or rib cage between your legs.
 3- Emasculator
This instrument is normally used to castrate bulls
or stallions
It has both a cutting edge and a crushing surface
 Application:
*Be sure that the crushing surface is
toward the lamb, so that the blood
vessels on the remaining dock are
crushed
*place the emasculator around the tail,
with the crushing surface toward the
lamb remove the tail by slowly
compressing the handles of the
emasculator
 3-Emasculatome “Burdizo”
* This instrument also is used for castration
* has two blunt edges which pinch the tail, thus reducing
bleeding.
Application:
-By use the emasculatome on the tail,
and with a sharp knife cut the tail off inside the jaws of the
emasculatome leaving the jaws clamped on the dock for 5
to 10 seconds
with a sharp knife

cut off the tail

inside the jaws
of
emasculatome
5- Elastrator (Rubber rings):
(bloodless method)
-This instrument can be used for
both docking and castration.
-This method is bloodless,
-the rubber ring shuts off the
circulation in the tail and causes it
to slough off in one to two weeks.
 6- Hot docking irons:
-This method is used to dock lambs when they cannot
be checked daily as closely as they can be in smaller
flocks.

-It is bloodless if done properly, and the heat cauterizes

and disinfects the wound in one operation.

-This method requires more equipment than other

methods, but is safe and requires very little checking
for bleeding.
Application
 7- “All – in – one” pliers and
pruning shears:
-These are designed for both docking
and castration.
-The blades are straight, but the points
can be used for pulling.
-Pruning shears have a curved blade
which fits well around the tail.
 Application

The lamb can be held by an assistant or

held by the operator between his legs,
place the shears on the tail at one inch from
the body and cut the tail off clearly.

 Apply a 7% iodine solution to the dock.

Observe lambs for excessive bleeding.
7-Electro-docking:
 (2) Debeaking
Def:-
Removal of the part of the end of the beak.

Chickens, turkeys, ducks and quail are

debeaked to prevent cannibalism.
There are several factors which cause an
outbreak of pecking and cannibalism in bird
flock in addition to long and sharp beak:
(1) Over crowdedness and high stocking densities in flock.
(2) High temperature and lack of ventilation.
(3) High light intensity.
(4) Low protein diet.
(5) Insufficient salt and other essential minerals in the feed.
(6) Starvation.
Debeaking methods are classified as:

(1) Block Debeaking:-

in which both mandibles are cut

back and used for baby chicks.
(2)Removal of part of the upper
mandible:-
-This is the more common method and consists
of removing approximately half or slightly more
of the upper beak and removing the tip of the
lower beak.

-The operation is best formed with electric

debeaker which a machine which cuts of and
cauterizes a portion of the beak.