Effect of castration technique on beef calf performance, feed efficiency, and inflammatory response1

Warnock, T.M.; Thrift, Todd; Irsik, Max; Hersom, Matt; Yelich, Joel; Maddock, T. D.; Lamb, G. C.; Arthington, J. D.

doi:10.2527/jas.2011-4511

Cited by 25 publications

(20 citation statements)

References 23 publications

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“…This is in agreement with studies previously reviewed (Bretschneider, 2005) and others not included in that review (Fenton et al, 1958;Fell et al, 1986;Warnock et al, 2012). Another study not included in that review reported significantly superior ADG (by about 0.3 kg/day) to weaning (timing not reported) in calves ring castrated at 2-3 months of age compared with calves surgically castrated or left intact (Lents et al, 2001).…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

“…In the longer-term, whilst haptoglobin concentrations steadily declined in the surgical castrates, they were significantly elevated at 14 days post-castration in the Ring calves of both age groups. This difference between methods in the pattern of the inflammatory response is supported by the findings of others (Fenton et al, 1958;Molony et al, 1995;Carragher et al, 1997;Warnock et al, 2012). The inflammatory response appeared related to the rate of wound healing as, at days 14 and 21, there were indications of infection and poor healing in the Ring calves and particularly in the 6-month-old calves.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

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Welfare outcomes for 3- and 6-month-old beef calves in a tropical environment castrated surgically or by applying rubber rings

Petherick

Small

Reid³

et al. 2015

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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a b s t r a c tCastration of cattle using rubber rings is becoming increasingly popular due to the perceived ease of the procedure and greater operator safety when compared with surgical castration. Few comparative studies have investigated the effects of different castration methods and calf age on welfare outcomes, particularly in a tropical environment. Thirty Belmont Red (a tropically adapted breed), 3-month-old (liveweight 71-119 kg) and 30, 6-month-old (liveweight 141-189 kg) calves were assigned to a two age × three castration (surgical, ring and sham) treatment factorial study (Surg3, Surg6, Ring3, Ring6, Sham3 and Sham6, n = 10 for each treatment group). Welfare outcomes were assessed post-castration using: behaviour for 2 weeks; blood parameters (cortisol and haptoglobin concentrations) to 4 weeks; wound healing to 5 weeks; and liveweights to 6 weeks. More Surg calves struggled during castration compared with Sham and Ring (P < 0.05, 90 ± 7% vs. 20 ± 9% and 24 ± 10%) and performed more struggles (1.9 ± 0.2, 1.1 ± 0.3 and 1.1 ± 0.3 for Surg, Sham and Ring, respectively), suggesting that surgical castration caused most pain during performance of the procedure. A significant (P < 0.05) time × castration method × age interaction for plasma cortisol revealed that concentrations decreased most rapidly in Sham; the Ring6 calves failed to show reduced cortisol concentrations at 2 h post-castration, unlike other treatment groups. By 7 h post-castration, all treatment groups had similar concentrations. A significant (P < 0.01) interaction between time and castration method showed that haptoglobin concentrations increased slightly to 0.89 and 0.84 mg/mL for Surg and Ring, respectively over the first 3 days post-castration. Concentrations for Surg then decreased to levels similar to Sham by day 21 and, although concentrations for Ring decreased on day 7 to 0.76 mg/mL, they increased significantly on day 14 to 0.97 mg/mL before reducing to concentrations similar to the other groups (0.66 mg/mL) by day 21. Significantly (P < 0.05) more of the wounds of the 3-month compared with the 6-month calves scored as 'healed' at day 7 (74% vs. 39%), while more (P = 0.062) of the Surg than Ring scored as 'healed' at day 21 (60% vs. 29%). At day 14 there were significantly (P < 0.05) fewer healed wounds in Ring6 compared with other treatment groups (13% vs. 40-60%). Liveweight gain was significantly (P < 0.05) greater in 3-month (0.53 kg/day) than in 6-month calves (0.44 kg/day) and in Sham calves (P < 0.001, 0.54 kg/day), than in Ring (0.44 kg/day) and Surg (0.48 kg/day) calves. Overall, welfare outcomes were slightly better for Surg than Ring calves due to reduced inflammation and faster wound healing, with little difference between age groups. Crown

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Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 87%

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 60%

Welfare outcomes for 3- and 6-month-old beef calves in a tropical environment castrated surgically or by applying rubber rings

Petherick

Small

Reid³

et al. 2015

Applied Animal Behaviour Science

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“…5 Escala de 1 a 9 pontos, na qual maior valor representa carne com maior maciez. 6 Escala de 1 a 9 pontos, na qual maior valor representa carne com melhor palatabilidade. 7 Escala de 1 a 9 pontos, na qual maior valor representa carne com maior suculência.…”

Section: Resultsunclassified

“…Hill 23 também cita que a gordura intramuscular é a primeira a ser mobilizada em condições de deficiência nutricional 28 , o que poderia ter ocorrido nos animais deste trabalho, principalmente nos castrados.…”

Section: Resultsunclassified

Características de carcaça e da carne de bovinos mestiços não-castrados ou submetidos a diferentes métodos de castração

et al. 2014

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RESUMOObjetivou-se com este estudo analisar os efeitos de diferentes métodos de castração de machos mestiços de raças de origem leiteira, sobre as características de carcaça e da carne, em comparação com animais não-castrados. Foram utilizados 84 machos, com idade média de dez meses, distribuídos em quatro grupos de 21 animais: castrados com o uso de burdizzo, por meio de incisão lateral na bolsa escrotal, por remoção do tampão (ápice da bolsa escrotal) ou não-castrados. O abate dos animais ocorreu em frigorífico comercial, aos 30 meses de idade. Animais não-castrados apresentaram maior peso de carcaça fria (208,0±6,2 kg) do que os castrados por diferentes métodos (média 192,0±6,4 kg). Não houve diferença para a espessura de gordura entre os grupos experimentais, mas quando a medida foi ajustada ao peso de carcaça, observou-se maior cobertura de gordura nos animais castrados com burdizzo (0,79±0,08 mm/100 kg) ou por incisão lateral (0,86±0,09 mm/100 kg) do que os não-castrados (0,61±0,05 mm/100 kg). A área de olho de lombo foi maior nos machos não-castrados (60,47±1,94 cm 2 ) do que os castrados com burdizzo (50,41±3,18 cm 2 ). Não houve diferença para as relações músculo/osso e músculo+gordura/osso entre os grupos, mas a relação músculo/gordura foi maior nos animais não-castrados em relação aos castrados pela remoção do tampão e estes superiores aos castrados por incisão lateral. Não houve diferença entre as características sensoriais da carne, mas o grau de marmoreio foi maior nos animais castrados com burdizzo (2,33±0,20 pontos) ou castrados pela remoção do tampão (2,39±0,20 pontos) do que os bovinos não-castrados (1,77±0,12 pontos). O método de castração em bovinos mestiços de origem leiteira abatidos com peso reduzido não promove alterações na qualidade da carcaça e da carne dos animais, mas animais não-castrados apresentam maiores peso de abate e peso de carcaça fria, alem de maior porcentagem de músculo na carcaça e melhor relação músculo/gordura do que os castrados. PALAVRAS-CHAVE:Burdizzo; composição da carcaça; métodos de castração; qualidade da carne. CARCASS AND MEAT TRAITS OF CROSSBRED BOVINES CASTRATED OR SUBMITTED TO DIFFERENT CASTRATION METHODS ABSTRACTThe objective of this study was to assess the effects of different castration methods applied to dairy crossbred males on carcass and meat traits, compared with noncastrated animals. Eighty-four males, with average age of

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“…In steer production systems, castration is, apart from weaning, the major management procedure causing distress in calves, which can lead to reduced feed intake, growth rates and even weight loss during the first weeks after the procedures are conducted (Arthington et al, 2003;Ting et al, 2005;Warnock et al, 2012).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Effects of castration and weaning conducted concurrently or consecutively on behaviour, blood traits and performance in beef calves

Lambertz

Farke-Röver

Moors

et al. 2015

Animal

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The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of Burdizzo castration and abrupt weaning on the behaviour, blood traits and performance of beef calves when weaning was conducted concurrently or consecutively to castration. In total, 64 male beef calves aged between 6 and 7 months were assigned to a 2 × 2 factorial design with the following treatment groups (n = 16 animals per treatment): (1) castrated and concurrently weaned in week 0 (CAS-WEA); (2) castrated in week 0 and weaned in week 4 (CAS-CON); (3) bulls weaned in week 0 (BUL-WEA); and (4) bulls weaned in week 4 (BUL-CON). The behaviour of the calves was observed for 3 days following weaning. Blood was collected weekly from weeks 0 to 5 and analysed for the acute-phase protein haptoglobin, and neutrophil and lymphocyte percentages. BW was recorded weekly from weeks 0 to 7. Animals were slaughtered at 17 months and weight, dressing percentage and carcass classifications were recorded. On day 1 after weaning, the number of vocalizations (calls/10 min) was higher in BUL-WEA (7.2) and CAS-WEA (5.4) than in calves of CAS-CON (2.8) and BUL-CON (2.9) groups (P < 0.05). From days 1 to 3 vocalizations decreased in all groups. CAS-CON and BUL-CON animals spent 20% lying on day 1 after weaning compared with 40% in CAS-WEA and BUL-WEA calves (P < 0.05). The haptoglobin concentration decreased during the first 5 weeks after weaning in all groups independent of the castration, weaning group or its interaction (P > 0.05). WEA groups showed an increased average daily gain (ADG) during weeks 0 to 3 and a reduced ADG during 4 to 7 weeks in comparison with CON animals. At slaughter, bulls were about 80 kg heavier than castrates and had a superior dressing percentage and carcass classification (P > 0.05). In conclusion, weaning had a greater effect on the number of vocalizations, standing/walking and lying behaviour and ADG compared with Burdizzo castration. In comparison with undertaking the procedures separately, concurrent castration and weaning neither affected behaviour and haematological parameters nor impaired performance. There was no evidence that the concurrent application of both treatments markedly increased the stress response compared with their application at intervals of a few weeks.

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Effect of castration technique on beef calf performance, feed efficiency, and inflammatory response1

Cited by 25 publications

References 23 publications

Welfare outcomes for 3- and 6-month-old beef calves in a tropical environment castrated surgically or by applying rubber rings

Welfare outcomes for 3- and 6-month-old beef calves in a tropical environment castrated surgically or by applying rubber rings

Características de carcaça e da carne de bovinos mestiços não-castrados ou submetidos a diferentes métodos de castração

Effects of castration and weaning conducted concurrently or consecutively on behaviour, blood traits and performance in beef calves

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