New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research abstracts
Effect of method of castrating bulls on their growth rate and liveweight
T. W. KNIGHT
G. P. COSGROVE
A. F. DEATH
C. B. ANDERSON
AgResearch Grasslands
Private Bag 11008
Palmerston North, New Zealand
A. D. FISHER
AgResearch Ruakura
Private Bag 3123
Hamilton, New Zealand
Abstract Bulls were castrated surgically or using a
Callicrate(TM) Bander (Bander) to compare the effects on growth rate and
liveweight. In Experiment 1, 20 bulls were castrated surgically (SCasts) at 14
months of age and 19 bulls were castrated with the Bander (BCasts). Within 7
days of castration the BCasts had large wounds above the band. Growth rates
were lower (P < 0.01) over the first 29 days after castration for
BCasts than for SCasts and both groups grew slower (P < 0.05) than
steers castrated at weaning. There was no significant difference in liveweight
between groups 108 days after castration. In Experiment 2, 10 bulls were
castrated surgically at 8-9 months of age and 10 bulls were castrated with the
Bander. BCasts grew slower (P < 0.05) over the first 35 days after
castration than SCasts, resulting in lower liveweight for BCasts than SCasts
(P < 0.05) 35-122 days after castration. No lesions occurred in the
BCasts. The banding technique does not prevent the slow growth rates found
after surgical castration and banding should only be used on bulls less than 14
months of age.
Keywords cattle; bulls; castration; growth rate
New Zealand Journal of Agricultural Research 2000, Vol. 43: 187-192
0028-8233/00/4302-0187 $7.00/0 (c) The Royal Society of New Zealand
2000
PDF file of entire paper: medium quality (488K); (scanned from paper original: notes about this process)
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