Castration of Bull Calves Castration is one of the most common procedures in beef production, but timing and technique matter. Young bull calves less than 250 lbs. Older and larger bull calves are generally castrated in the standing position in a squeeze chute. For commercial producers, bull calves should be castrated as young as is practical for the farm or ranch. Purebred producers castrate a smaller percentage of bull calves than commercial producers and prefer to delay castration until the calves have an opportunity to express growth and other traits.