Cows castration: An alternative to improve body weight gain systems

Abstract

THE AIM OF THIS WORK WAS TO ANALYZE THE CHANGES IN THE INCREASE OF BODY WEIGHT, MEAT-BONE-FAT RELATION, CARCASS WEIGHT, FAT INFILTRATION IN THE MUSCULAR MASS AND BLOOD LEVELS OF TRIIODOTHYROXINE INDUCED BY OVARIECTOMY. TWO DIFFERENT EXPERIMENTS WERE DONE IN DIFFERENT FIELDS OF ARGENTINA, A) YOUNG COWS, B) OLD COWS. EACH EXPERIMENTAL GROUP WAS RANDOMLY DIVIDED INTO TWO GROUPS, OVARIECTOMIZED AND CONTROLS, MAINTAINED UNDER IDENTICAL MANAGEMENT CONDITIONS. DUTTO TRANSVAGINAL TECHNIQUE WAS APPLIED FOR THE CASTRATION. IN ALL EXPERIMENTAL GROUPS BLOOD TRIIODOTHYROXINE HORMONE, INCREASE OF BODY WEIGHT AND THE COST-BENEFIT TREATMENT RELATIONSHIP WERE MEASURED. IN B, BLOOD PROGESTERONE, CARCASS WEIGHT, MEAT-BONE FAT RELATIONSHIP AND FAT INFILTRATION IN THE MUSCULAR MASS WERE ALSO MEASURED. BODY WEIGHT INCREASE WAS OBSERVED IN YOUNG CASTRATED COWS (A), WHILE NO DIFFERENCES WERE OBSERVED BETWEEN CASTRATED AND CONTROL OLD COWS (B). IN B, A GREATER CARCASS WEIGHT AND A LOWER FAT INFILTRATION IN THE MUSCULAR MASS WERE OBSERVED IN CASTRATED COWS REGARDING THE CONTROL ONES. TRIIODOTHYROXINE INCREASED IN CASTRATED COWS AND THE COSTBENEFIT RELATIONSHIP WAS POSITIVE IN THE TWO ROUNDUPS. AS CONCLUSION, OVARIECTOMY INCREASES TRIIODOTHYROXINE VALUES AND HAS A FAVOURABLE COST-BENEFIT RELATIONSHIP. IN YOUNG COWS, IT IMPROVES BODY WEIGHT GAIN AND IN OLD COWS IT IMPROVES CARCASS WEIGHT AND DIMINISHES FAT INFILTRATION IN MUSCULAR MASS.