• Animal Bioscience
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.521-528
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• 2023

Objective: This study investigated the effects of surgical castration on behavior, physiological and inflammatory indicators, and leukocyte cytokine mRNA levels in Korean cattle bull calves. Methods: Nineteen Korean cattle bull calves (average body weight, 254.5 kg; average age, 8.2 months) were divided into two treatment groups: control (n = 9) and castration (n = 10). Surgical castration was performed using Newberry knives and a Henderson castrating tool. Blood was obtained just before castration (0 h) and at 0.5 h, 6 h, 1 d, 3 d, 7 d, and 14 d after castration. Plasma cortisol (PC), saliva cortisol (SC), plasma substance P, and plasma haptoglobin concentrations, and the leucocyte mRNA levels of the interleukin-1-alpha (IL1A), interleukin-1-beta (IL1B), interleukin-1 receptor antagonist (IL1RN), and interleukin-6 (IL6) genes were analyzed. Results: Castration decreased (p<0.01) the average daily gain and gain/feed ratio. Castration reduced the time spent eating (p<0.001) and the eating frequency (p<0.01) and increased (p<0.001) the lying frequency. Castration temporarily increased (p<0.05) circulating PC and SC concentrations at 0.5 h after castration. Castration temporarily increased (p<0.05) plasma substance P concentrations at 1 d after castration. Castration increased (p<0.05) plasma haptoglobin concentrations at 1 and 3 d after castration. Castration increased (p<0.05) leukocyte mRNA levels of the IL1A, IL1B, IL1RN, and IL6 genes at 6 h after castration. Conclusion: Castration temporarily induced stress and expression of leucocyte inflammatory cytokine genes in Korean cattle bull calves.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.221-226
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• 2016

The animal welfare issues in cattle breeding include breeding environment, elimination, and castration. Among these, castration is unavoidable because it decreases cattle aggressiveness, improves meat quality, and enhances feed efficiency. In this study, the degree of stress associated with various methods of castration treatment was investigated for animal welfare in Hanwoo breeding. Cortisol levels dramatically increased right after castration in both the SoF and SoV groups. However, the increase in the SoF group was significantly (P<0.05) higher than that in the SoV group, and the range of decrease was also smaller. Among the behavioral characteristics, standing was significantly (P<0.05) higher in the SoV ($374.93{\pm}21.51$) and SoF ($379.93{\pm}21.30$) groups based on the behavioral time (min/12 hours) compared to that in the NC group ($359.37{\pm}19.69$). The SoF and SoV groups did not show any significant (P<0.05) difference. In terms of behavioral frequency, the NC group demonstrated a significantly (P<0.05) high frequency of drinking, self-grooming, scratching, and rubbing, and a significantly (P<0.05) less frequency of fighting behavior. The feeding time significantly (P<0.05) decreased in the SoV and SoF groups, and their frequencies of pairwise grooming were significantly (P<0.05) less. Based on the results, the cattle experienced less stress during castration by a veterinarian than during treatment using a move-stop.

• Korean Journal of Animal Reproduction
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2003

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of castration and ovariectomy on growth performance and plasma hormone concentration in pigs. A total of 48 pigs of 35 days of age were used. The results obtained in the present study are summarized as follows: 1. No significant difference was found in average daily gain between ovariectomy group (898.6g) and control gilt group (862.7g), and between castration group (926.0g) and control boar group (945.5g), respectively. Average daily gain of control boar group, however, was significantly higher than that of control gilt group (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in feed/gain between ovariectomy and control gilt group and between castration and control boar group, respectively. Backfat thickness was significantly (p<0.05) higher in ovariectomy or castration group than in control gilt or boar group, respectively. 2. Plasma concentration of IGF-I was significantly (p<0.05) increased during the period of 5 weeks of age (45.1 $\pm$0.72 ng/ml) to 15 weeks of age (356.3$\pm$3.05 ng/ml), and maintained constantly afterwards in control gilt group, as was in control boar group. That of ICF-I tended to be lower in ovariectomy or castration group than in control gilt or boar group, respectively. Regarding steroid hormones of estradiol-17$\beta$, progesterone, and testosterone, the concentration was extremely low at 5 weeks of age, however, increased from 11 weeks to 23 weeks of age in control gilt or boar group, while it was nearly under detection limit in ovariectomy or castration group. 3. Chemical compositions of pork loins were not affected by ovariectomy or castration, except that crude ash content was significantly (p<0.05) higher in castration group than in control boar group. These results indicated that ovariectomy or castration had no effects on growth performance and feed utilization. However, the concentration of sex steroid hormones was under detection limit in ovariectomy and castration group. Further studies, however, are needed to develope the techniques which minimize the stress related with castration or ovariectomy for the production of high quality pork.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.3 no.6
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• pp.555-563
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• 1999

It is well known that stress induces analgesia. This study was designed to demonstrate the stress-induced analgesia by employing hemorrhage and restraint and to investigate its mechanism and sex difference. The degree of pain was assessed by measuring the magnitude of jaw opening reflex produced by a noxious electrical stimulation in the dental pulp and by measuring the latency to withdraw the tail from a heat ray. Restraint showed an antinociceptive response. A significant increase in pain threshold on bleeding was shown and the increase was larger in male group than in female group. The tail flick latency (TFL) on bleeding after AVP antagonist injection into the ventricle was decreased and the decrease was greater in male rats than in female rats. Castration resulted in a significant reduction of TFL. This effect was reversed by treatment with sex hormones. TFL was decreased during hemorrhage in castrated rats. This response was opposite to that in non-castrated rats. TFL was further decreased during hemorrhage after infusion of AVP antagonist, and there was a significant sex difference. These results suggest that both restraint and hemorrhage produce an antinociception and that, in hemorrhage-induced analgesia, AVP and sex hormones may play an important role and male rats show a greater analgesic response.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.791-796
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• 2014

Cryopreservation of epididymal sperm is an effective technique to preserve genetic materials of domestic cats and wild felids when they unexpectedly die. However, this technique inevitably causes detrimental changes of cryopreserved-thawed spermatozoa, for example, by physical damage and excessive oxidative stress. L-carnitine is an antioxidant that has been used to improve sperm motility in humans and domestic animals. This study aimed to investigate the effects of L-carnitine on cat epididymal sperm quality following cryopreservation and thawing. After routine castration, cauda epididymides were collected from 60 cat testes. The epididymal spermatozoa from 3 cauda epididymides were pooled as 1 replicate. Spermatozoa samples (16 replicates) were examined for spermatozoa quality and then randomly divided into 4 groups: 0 mM L-carnitine (control), 12.5 mM, 25 mM and 50 mM L-carnitine. The sperm aliquots were then equilibrated and conventionally frozen. After thawing, sperm motility, plasma membrane integrity, DNA integrity and acrosome integrity were evaluated. The 25 mM L-carnitine significantly improved sperm motility compared with a control group (p<0.05), although this was not significantly different among other concentrations. In conclusion, supplementation of 25 mM L-carnitine in freezing extender improves cauda epididymal spermatozoa motility. The effects of L-carnitine on the levels of oxidative stress during freezing and thawing remains to be examined.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural Science
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• v.44 no.3
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• pp.375-383
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• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the effects of sex, environmental factors, and feeding system on the carcass traits of Hanwoo (Korean Native Cattle). Data were collected from 7,866 heads slaughtered in Chungnam province during one-year period. Using the collected carcass traits data which greatly influence a Hanwoo's carcass grade, the effects of sex class, slaughter season, and feeding system were estimated. Backfat thickness of steers was significantly higher than that of bulls (p < 0.05). Marbling score was also the highest in steers when compared with cows and bulls (p < 0.05). Live weight and carcass weight were significantly higher in winter than in summer (p < 0.05). However, backfat thickness was significantly lower in summer than in other seasons (p < 0.05). Marbling score was higher in spring and fall than in summer and winter (p < 0.05). In terms of feeding systems, TMR (Total mixed ration) and TMF (Total mixed fermentation feed) fed groups showed the highest carcass grade (p < 0.05). However, the group fed TMR and formula feed at the final fattening period showed the lowest performance (p < 0.05) and it is assumed that some stress was associated to the feed change. The results reconfirm that castration may be recommended in order to improve meat quality and marbling scores in bulls. There was no consistent trend of seasonal effects of slaughter on carcass traits although some traits were significantly affected. Regarding the feeding system, either TMR or TMF can be supplied to achieve high feed efficiency and good carcass characteristics in Hanwoo.