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- Title
Effect of castration and slaughter age on performance, carcass, and meat quality traits of Holstein calves fed a high-concentrate diet.
- Authors
Marti, S.; Realini, C. E.; Bach, A.; Pérez-Juan, M.; Devant, M.
- Abstract
The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of castration and slaughter age on performance and meat quality of Holstein bulls fed a high-concentrate diet. A total of 132 animals (116 ± 3.7 kg of BW and 97 ± 2.4 d of age) were randomly allocated in 6 pens using a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement of treatments. Three castra-tion ages [bulls, animals castrated at 3 mo (CAS3), and animals castrated at 8 mo of age (CAS8)] and 3 slaugh-ter ages (10, 12, and 14 mo of age) were evaluated. Feed intake was recorded daily using a computerized concen-trate feeder, and BW was recorded every 14 d. The 9th to 11th rib section was removed at 24 h postmortem and dissected into lean, fat, and bone, and meat quality was evaluated on the LM. Castration, at 3 or 8 mo of age, reduced (P < 0.001) ADG and muscle pH and impaired (P <0.01) feed efficiency. As slaughter age increased, concentrate consumption increased linearly (P < 0.001) and feed efficiency was reduced linearly (P < 0.001). Slaughter age also affected (P < 0.001) meat pH. Signifi-cant interactions between castration and slaughter ages were also observed in carcass confonnation (P < 0.05), fatness (P < 0.001), percentage of subcutaneous fat (P < 0.01), carcass dressing percentage (P < 0.05), and intra-muscular fat (P < 0.05) and tended to be significant in intermuscular fat (P = 0.09). In Holstein animals, cas-tration age affects performance and meat pH regardless of slaughter age, and slaughter age affects performance and meat pH independently of castration. However, in Holstein animals, castration affects several character-istics related to fat deposition differently depending on slaughter age, such as carcass fat cover and intramuscu-lar, intermuscular, and subcutaneous fat.
- Subjects
SLAUGHTERING; HOLSTEIN-Friesian cattle; MEAT quality; ANIMAL carcasses; CASTRATION; AUTOPSY
- Publication
Journal of Animal Science, 2013, Vol 91, Issue 3, p1129
- ISSN
0021-8812
- Publication type
Article
- DOI
10.2527/jas.2012-5717