I needed a detailed copyright-free photograph of a Burdizzo for an article that I'm writing. Not having easy access to one, I called a local large animal veterinarian and asked if he had one that I could photograph. He readily agreed to provide one.

I arrived at his office and he took me out to search in a cabinet at the back of his horse barn. There were about a half dozen dusty and grimy Burdizzos of various sizes in the cabinet. We chose the best one for the photograph, and as we walked out to a sunny spot for the photograph, the vet's 40-something year-old assistant asked what the strange object was. The vet had to explain it to him.

The vet went on to say that he hadn't used a Burdizzo in several years. His observation was that surgical castration of cattle (without anesthesia) was less painful and less traumatic than using a Burdizzo!

If a vet won't use one, why the hell should any of us use one? They don't work much either - been there, done that, NEVER again would I use one, although I wouldn't need one anymore.