cutting and pruning junipers

[bonsai of tree]

I got a juniper recently and i want to know what time of year you can cut the branches off. Because there are two branches at the base of the trunk that look really bad. Here is a picture and by the way i haven't repotted it yet since i just bought it.
The two red circles are the branches i want to cut of the tree.

[Craig]

Hi , If you want to you could take them off now ,but, remember if you take off lower branches on Junipers you may not get another shoot down low. I would think about leaving it as is until it gets a thicker trunk , Regards Craig

[kcpoole]

I would be leaving them on as sacrifice branches,
Ken