Summary

This study aimed to determine the effectiveness of chemical castration using graded formalin concentration compared to surgical and bloodless castration with burdizzor in Red Sokoto bucks using ultrasonography. Eight healthy Red Sokoto bucks divided into four groups; A, B, C and D with average weight and age of 14kg and 10 months were used in this study. Group A, B, and C were castrated using 2.5mls of formalin each at different concentrations 2%, 4% and 6% injected bilaterally into the tail of the Epididymis while group D were castrated using surgical and bloodless castration using burdizzor respectively. The sonogram of the testicles was taken before and after chemical and bloodless castration using burdizzor to determine the effectiveness and level of testicular degeneration. The bucks were sedated using xylazine at 0.05mg/kg and atropine an ant cholinergic at 0.2mg/kg body weight intramuscularly. The sonogram of the testicular parenchyma of the bucks injected with formalin appears hyper echoic indicating testicular degeneration while the sonogram of testicular parenchyma of the buck castrated using burdizzor appear Anaechoic (indicating fluid accumulation) and areas of high echogenicity. From this study, formalin can be an effective chemical castration agent in Small Ruminants.

Keywords: Castration; Ultrasonography; Formalin; Red sokoto goat; Comparative study