Yup
you got the irony. That was exactly what I was heading for!

This whole episode was well before major changes in what could or could not be done to cattle with or without anaesthetic. I was "taught" by much older folk with more years or experience than all those fancy college fol-de-lols with their fancy high-falutin ideals. The sense then,was that if you made one brief cut and pull, it was faster and less noticeable than trying to make the whole thing desensitised with local. Please bear in mind here, that, in order to get a good local block, you would have to carefully track a line of local under the exact position in the skin where you would make the cut and then try and effect a full block of the spermatic cord. This requires several needle stabs, each one of which will be felt and reacted to. One quick cut seems far more humane and in my experience was actually very well tolerated. The only really humane method would be full anaesthesia, but the risk is not worth it and application somewhat awkward. Farm economics largely drive what happens.

I gave up with cattle 20 years ago now and have just about stopped smelling of cowshit. Gave up horses 10 years ago - at least their owners would pay for full anaesthetic for castration.
(gearanach #wankwankwank, Thu 5 Aug 2010, 14:33, Reply)