Profit Tips: Equipment - Castration safety

click image to zoom Keeping the knife or scalpel clean and disinfected at chute-side is important. But reaching into the bottom of a bucket for a sharp instrument — especially when you’re working quickly — can be a hazard. Cutting your fingers during cattle processing can be more than just a safety issue; it adds stress to other workers and the cattle, too. Junior Meyers developed a simple idea to make castrating calves a little safer and faster. He put a sponge at the bottom of a small plastic bucket (4 to 5 inches across) that he keeps filled with water and disinfectant at chute-side. When he places the knife into the disinfectant bucket he sticks the knife blade into the sponge to hold the knife upright. “No more fishing around at the bottom of the bucket with your bare hand when you’re ready to castrate a calf.”

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