Banding a navel

I read today of a guy recommending banding a steer calf's navel.

Is it that simple to use an elastrator band to effectively cut off an over-sized navel?

I have never done this but I have heard of doing it to heifers.. but I would think that doing it to a steer calf would make so he couldn't urinate.. I don't know this to be true but it would be a concern of mine.

DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT band a navel of a steer. If you know ANYTHING about anatomy, you will quickly realize that will stop the steer from urinating, which will lead to a painful, unavoidable death.
If you want to do something illegal, which banding would be considered since it changes the calf by unnatural means, you can alter the navel by surgical methods, but again IT IS ILLEGAL.

It is your choice, please make the correct one.

BTDT said:

DO NOT, I REPEAT DO NOT band a navel of a steer. If you know ANYTHING about anatomy, you will quickly realize that will stop the steer from urinating, which will lead to a painful, unavoidable death.
If you want to do something illegal, which banding would be considered since it changes the calf by unnatural means, you can alter the navel by surgical methods, but again IT IS ILLEGAL.

It is your choice, please make the correct one.

Click to expand...

A steer or bull calf does not urinate through his navel. He does that through his sheath which is behind his navel. You may need to take a good look at a live steer to learn anatomy yourself before you act all knowing. I would not suggest it either.

I guess I am just too old school!  In general, I am not in favor of any form of improving an animals appearance other than using clippers on them. While, I think it would be possible to band a navel successfully, and am pretty certain there are also cases where it has been done improperly and it has caused infection, pain or even death. If you are going to band the navel, why don't you surgically lower the steers flank while you are at it?

These practices are not new in this business. I can remember over 40 years ago, of seeing a good looking set of bulls at a bull sale, and something just did not appear to be quite right with a couple of the bulls. When no one was around, I ran my hands over the bulls and when I felt the inside of the flank area, I could still feel the scar and stitch marks from this guys attempt at making his bulls look better. I have never bought an animal from him, even though this outfit has produced some pretty good animals over the years.

I stand technically corrected. But, many people, and I am guessing in this situation, the person instructing on the issue wanted to get rid of the "flab", which is probably the sheath and not the navel, but again that is only upon guessing and trying to read between the lines.
I appreciate you clarifying the difference.