Editing Castration (section)

==Other animals==
{{See also|Neutering|Veterinary sterilization surgery}}

[[File:Mule castration emasculator during haemostasis.jpg|A mule being castrated|thumb|right]]

Humans commonly castrate domestic animals not intended for breeding.
Domestic animals are usually castrated to avoid unwanted or uncontrolled [[sexual reproduction|reproduction]]; to reduce or prevent other manifestations of [[animal sexual behavior|sexual behaviour]] such as defending the herd from humans and other threats, or intra-herd aggression (e.g. fighting between groups of entire (uncastrated) males of a species); or to reduce other consequences of sexual behavior that may make animal husbandry more difficult, such as boundary/fence/enclosure destruction when attempting to get to nearby females of the species.

Male horses are usually castrated ([[gelding|gelded]]) using [[emasculator]]s, because [[Stallion (horse)|stallions]] are rather aggressive and troublesome. The same applies to male [[mule]]s, although they are sterile. Male cattle are castrated to improve fattening and docility in feedlots or for use as [[oxen]].
[[Selective breeding|Breeding]] individuals are kept [[entire (animal)|entire]] and used for breeding: they may fetch higher prices when sold.

Livestock may be castrated when used for food to prevent indiscriminate breeding, control aggression, and improve meat and carcass quality.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Needham |first1=T. |last2=Lambrechts |first2=H. |last3=Hoffman |first3=L.C. |title=Castration of male livestock and the potential of immunocastration to improve animal we |journal=South African Journal of Animal Science |date=9 November 2017 |volume=47 |issue=6 |pages=731 |doi=10.4314/sajas.v47i6.1 |doi-access=free }}</ref> In [[domestic pig]]s the undesirable odour or taint of uncastrated males, called [[boar taint]], is caused by [[androstenone]] and [[skatole]] concentrations stored in the fat tissues of the animal after sexual maturity.<ref name="GEN">[http://mark.asci.ncsu.edu/nsif/99proc/squires.htm Genetics of Boar Taint: Implications for the Future Use of Intact Males] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20071031092222/http://mark.asci.ncsu.edu/nsif/99proc/squires.htm |date=31 October 2007 }}</ref> Boar taint is only found in a small minority of pigs and can be controlled through breeding selection, diet and management.<ref name="pigsite">{{cite web |url=http://www.thepigsite.com/articles/3245/managing-boar-taint-focus-on-genetic-markers/ |title=Managing Boar Taint: Focus on Genetic Markers |publisher=The Pig Site |date=12 August 2007 |access-date=5 February 2012 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://archive.today/20150415192046/http://www.thepigsite.com/articles/3245/managing-boar-taint-focus-on-genetic-markers/ |archive-date=15 April 2015 }}</ref> It is released when the fat is heated and has a distinct odor and flavor that is widely considered unpalatable to consumers.<ref name="PSU">[http://www.research.psu.edu/ipo/faculty_staff/disclosures/Greger_97_1751.html] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090210034407/http://www.research.psu.edu/ipo/faculty_staff/disclosures/Greger_97_1751.html|date=10 February 2009}}</ref> Consequently, in commercial meat production, male pigs are either castrated shortly after birth or slaughtered before they reach sexual maturity.<ref name = "PSU"/> Recent research in Brazil has shown that castration of pigs is unnecessary because most pigs do not have the 'boar taint'. This is due to many breeds of pigs simply not having the heredity for the boar taint and the fact that pigs are normally slaughtered at a young market weight.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.thepigsite.com/articles/3950/mythbusting-boar-taint/ |title=Mythbusting Boar Taint|publisher=The Pig Site |access-date=15 April 2015}}</ref>

In the case of pets, castration is usually called [[neutering]], and is encouraged to prevent overpopulation of the community by unwanted animals, and to reduce certain diseases such as prostate disease and testicular cancer in male dogs (oophorectomy in female pets is often called [[spaying]]). Testicular cancer is rare in dogs, and also prostate problems are somewhat common in castrated male dogs when they get older.<ref name=Teske>{{Cite journal|doi=10.1016/S0303-7207(02)00261-7 |title=Canine prostate carcinoma: epidemiological evidence of an increased risk in castrated dogs |date=2002 |last1=Teske |first1=E. |journal=Molecular and Cellular Endocrinology |volume=197 |pages=251–5 |pmid=12431819 |first2=E. C. |first3=E. M. |first4=E. |first5=J. A. |issue=1–2 |last2=Naan |last3=Van Dijk |last4=Van Garderen |last5=Schalken|s2cid=7080561 }}</ref> Neutered individuals have a much higher risk of developing prostate problems in comparison to intact males. Castrated male cats are more likely to develop an obstruction in their urethra, preventing them from urinating to some degree.<ref>{{Cite journal|pmid=11345305 |doi=10.2460/javma.2001.218.1429 |date=2001 |author1=Lekcharoensuk |first2=C. A. |first3=J. P. |title=Epidemiologic study of risk factors for lower urinary tract diseases in cats |volume=218 |issue=9 |pages=1429–35 |journal=Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association |last2=Osborne |last3=Lulich|doi-access=free }}</ref> A specialized vocabulary has arisen for neutered animals of given species:

<!--Please add in alphabetical order-->
* [[Pig#Pig vocabulary|Barrow]] (pig)
* [[Cattle#Terminology|Bullock]] (cattle)
* [[Capon]] (chicken)
* [[Gelding]] (horse)
* Gib (cat, ferret)
* [[Ox]] (cattle) (Castration performed on mature bull)
* Stag (cattle, sheep)
* [[Cattle#Terminology|Steer]] (cattle) (Castration performed on young calf)
* [[Wikt:wether|Wether]] (sheep, goat)

An incompletely castrated male in livestock species (horse and cattle) is known as a ''rig''.

The term ''stag'' is used for a male animal castrated after the [[secondary sex characteristic]]s have developed to such a point as to give him the appearance of [[sexual maturity]].

[[File:Elastrator rings.JPG|thumb|Rubber rings and pliers used in [[elastration]]]]
Methods of [[veterinary medicine|veterinary]] castration include instant [[surgical]] removal, the use of an [[elastrator]] tool to secure a band around the testicles that disrupts the blood supply, the use of a [[Burdizzo]] tool or emasculators to crush the [[spermatic cord]]s and disrupt the blood supply, [[pharmacological]] [[Injection (medicine)|injections]] and [[implant (medicine)|implants]] and [[immunological]] techniques to [[inoculation|inoculate]] the animal against his own [[sex hormones|sexual hormones]].

Certain animals, like horses and [[swine]], are usually surgically treated with a scrotal castration (which can be done with the animal standing while sedated and after local anesthetic has been applied), while others, like dogs and cats, are anesthetised and recumbent when surgically castrated with a pre-scrotal incision in the case of dogs, or a pre-scrotal or scrotal incision used for cats.

Castration of cattle has historically been done without pain medications. All methods of castration cause pain and distress, which can be minimized by castrating as early as possible, preferably within the first week of life. The Canadian Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle requires that, as of 2018, calves older than six months be castrated using pain control.<ref>Code of Practice for the Care and Handling of Beef Cattle. 2013.
www.nfacc.ca/codes-of-practice/beef-cattle
</ref>

In veterinary practice an "open" castration refers to a castration in which the inguinal tunic is incised and not sutured. A "closed" castration refers to when the procedure is performed so that the inguinal tunic is sutured together after incision.