"Side" Crusher

Only 4 stars, because it is SO expensive. However, it's easy for an inexperienced layman such as myself to use, and it works. Buying a $100 specific-use instrument for just two bucklings was certainly financially impractical, but no-one seemed to have one we could borrow, and we didn't like the alternatives. Everyone from our vet on down advised banding, but it was summer, and a rotting scrotum in fly season seemed to us like an open invitation to infection. So we splurged. The boys were 6 wks old at the time, and being Nubian-Saanen crosses, they, and their scrotums, were already good sized. My husband sat them on his lap and held their legs, and our daughter held their heads (fortunately they had already been disbudded at a week old). I applied the emasculator, 30 seconds to each side. There are some people who might benefit from the application of this procedure, but our little goats are nice and I like them. It wasn't fun, but within 60 seconds it was over for each one. They were visibly sore and none too happy with me for about a day, after which they were their usual perky selves again. Within six weeks I was 90% certain that the procedure had been a success. They are now 3 months old, and I am 100% sure that they are both officially wethers. All four testicles have gone from walnut sized to marble sized. I would definitely recommend this product, especially to producers with a good-sized herd. Alternatively, backyard owners of just a few goats could go together to purchase one, because of the expense. I would also research some kind of effective anesthetic. I did give our guys aspirin about an hour before the procedure, but I suspect aspirin just didn't cut it. The acute pain was brief, and the 24 hours worth of discomfort that followed was not debilitating, but if I must ever do it again, I want to find some way to diminish the pain.

This tool is the replacement for the original Ritchey Nipper which is no longer available in the US. Here at our little goat dairy (www.herronhilldairy.com) we raise LaManchas and Nigerians and have had very good luck with the Nipper but with a couple of caveats. Your LaMancha bucklings can be wethered at 2-3 weeks of age, but a month is better. Your Nigerians, much smaller, should not be wethered before 8 weeks of age. If you wether them too soon you may find that they are not sufficiently developed - just not big enough - for the cord to 'snap' correctly. We have never had problems except when we tried to wether too soon. Additionally, it is better for their overall health to develop a bit more, so do yourself a favor and wait until 7-8 weeks on the little guys. Otherwise great product.

Great well-made product! Wethered a goat at 3 1/2 wks of age (brand new procedure for me). Checked him at 6 wks & re-did, as both had grown. Goats grow TOO STRONG too fast! New plan: Do at 21 days of age, check & maybe re-do at 31 days, with a re-check at 41 days.

Quality Built product but don't wait to Castrate, the product states it can handle ram lambs up to 90 days. We waited till weaning at 90 days and it was to late the tool was out matched and only cleanly castrated about 50% of ram lambs.

I received this device yesterday - very fast shipment by the way (and for free) and today I used it on four bucklings - Nigerian Dwarf babies about 7-8 weeks old! FANTASTIC DEVICE!
Thank you soo much for offering this quality equipment. Very easy, very safe, and just a relief to the alternate means of castrating. Thank you!