• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• 제60권12호
• /
• pp.30.1-30.11
• /
• 2018

Background: Recently, as production costs have been increasing owing to rising feed prices worldwide, shortening the age of slaughter has been recognized as a way to increase farm income. In Korea, the raising period for Hanwoo steers is over 31 months with the delay of weaning and castration stated as one of the reasons for the increase in the raising period. Thus far, studies on age of weaning and castration have been conducted individually, and there have been no studies on the combined effects of weaning and castration ages on the growth performance and carcass characteristics in Hanwoo steers. Methods: Weaning ages were calculated at 80 or 130 days of age, and castration ages were calculated at 90 days and 180 days of age. Calves were allocated to one of the four treatment groups: W80C90 (weaning at 80 days of age and castration at 90 days of age), W80C180, W130C90, and W130C180. Results: For the entire experimental period, weaning and castration ages did not significantly affect growth performance of Hanwoo steers. In addition, weaning and castration ages did not affect the overall yield and quality traits of carcass in Hanwoo steers. Conclusion: Weaning and castration ages had small effects on growth performance and carcass characteristics in Hanwoo steers. Therefore, the early weaning and castration ages are recommended to reduce the slaughter age without any negative effects on meat quality grade.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제14권5호
• /
• pp.608-614
• /
• 2001

The effects of castration on growth and body composition of Javan rusa (Cervus timorensis russa) stags were examined at three slaughter ages in three experiments. Castration had no effects on growth rates, or liveweights at periodic weighings, at any stage in Experiments 1 and 2, when the stags were slaughtered at 19 and 13 months of age, respectively. In Experiment 3, monthly liveweights of castrated and entire stags were not significantly different until the stags were 21 months old. From this age, when they had recovered from their first rut season and were in their second spring/early summer, the entires grew more rapidly than the castrates. There were seasonal changes in growth in both treatments, indicating that pasture conditions influenced performance. Liveweights of entires and castrates were similar in stags slaughtered at 13 and 19 months, but castrates were smaller than entires at 25 months. Castration reduced the size of the head and skin, but there was little important effect of castration on body components at any slaughter age. Castration can be recommended as a management tool for rusa stags, especially if the animals are to be slaughtered before they exceed 19 months of age.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제22권8호
• /
• pp.1069-1077
• /
• 2009

Castration of male pig produces significant negative effects on skeletal muscle development. The androgen receptor (AR), two splice variants of insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I Ea and MGF) and the myostatin gene may play important roles in this process. In the present study, the expression of AR, IGF-I Ea, MGF and myostatin genes in three skeletal muscles, the brachialis, longissimus and semitendinosus, were studied using real-time quantitative RT-PCR. Our experimental design used 14 pairs of male Landrace sire${\times}$Yorkshire dam piglets. The two piglets in each pair were full sibs, one of which was castrated at 21 d of age; the other remained intact. The study group was divided into subgroups of equal size. Animals in the first subgroup were slaughtered at 147 d and those of the second at 210 d of age. Carcass weight and lean meat yield were similar between boars and barrows at 147 d of age (p>0.05), whereas barrows had lower carcass weight and less lean meat yield at 210 d of age (p<0.05). Castration caused down-regulation of AR gene expression at both 147 and 210 d of age (p<0.05). The two splice variants of the IGF-I gene from porcine skeletal muscle were cloned using RT-PCR, and it was found that MGF differs from IGF-I Ea in having a 52-base insert in the last coding exon of the mRNA. Both splice variants were down-regulated by castration only at 210 d of age (p<0.05). No differences in expression of the myostatin gene were observed between boars and barrows at either 147 or 210 d of age (p>0.05). These results suggest that the downregulation of AR, IGF-I Ea and MGF gene expression following castration helps to explain the negative effect of castration on skeletal muscle development.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• 제35권8호
• /
• pp.1258-1269
• /
• 2022

Objective: For improving meat quality especially tenderness, male cattle are usually castrated to removes both the testicles. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect castration method (half- and complete-castration) on meat yield and quality characteristics of Hanwoo male cattle. Methods: Thirty-two similar age (5.9 months) Hanwoo male calves were divided into: half-castration (HC) and complete-castration (CC) groups (n = 16 per group). At 7 months of age, all the animals were castrated in which the HC calves had only one testicle surgically removed while, the CC calves had both testicles surgically removed. The castrated animals were reared under identical conditions until 25 months of age. After slaughter, the carcasses were evaluated for carcass traits and meat yield of primal cuts. For examination of the castration effect on meat quality, L. lumborum and semimembranosus muscles were used. The meat samples were analyzed for chemical composition, color, pH, shear force and water holding capacity, fatty acids, metabolites and volatile aroma compounds. Results: The HC group showed higher meat yields of all primal cuts (p<0.05). As a result, the total meat yield was higher by approximately 44 kg in the HC group (303.32 kg, corresponding to 67.88%) compared to the CC group (259.30 kg, corresponding to 62.11%) (p<0.05). In terms of meat quality, the HC resulted in two times greater fat content in both muscles examined compared to intact males. More importantly, the shear force values did not differ between HC and CC groups for L. lumborum muscles (p>0.05). The meat from HC animals exhibited higher amount of free amino acids associated with sweetness (p<0.05). Furthermore, the castration method only exhibited a negligible effect on metabolites and volatile aroma compounds in the cooked meat. Conclusion: Half-castration emerged as an alternative practice to be used for increasing the yield and tenderness of male cattle meat.

• 한국임상수의학회지
• /
• 제20권4호
• /
• pp.474-477
• /
• 2003

This study comprised 13 cases having canine perianal adenoma at Veterinary Medical T~aching Hospital, Seoul National University from January 2000 to October 2003. All referred dogs were intact male and mean age of dogs was 11.5 years (ranged from 7 to 15 years). The most prevalent breed was Shih Tzu. The clinical signs were presence of 1 to 5 cm in diameter firm mass, perianal swelling, hemorrhage, pain and dyschezia. The masses were located either in the perineum (12 cases) or tail (5 cases). Five dogs had masses with ulceration. Concurrent prostatomegaly and seminoma was found in 5 and 1, respectively. Castration was performed in 5 cases. In 8 cases, surgical excision of the tumor was performed with castration. There was no recurrence in all cases after removal. In all cases with castration, perianal adenomas were regressed within 1-2 months. In one case among them, excision of the tumor was also performed because of persistent ulceration. According to these clinical results, perianal adenoma excellently responded to castration with or without surgical excision of the tumor.

• Animal Bioscience
• /
• 제36권3호
• /
• pp.521-528
• /
• 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.

• 한국가축번식학회지
• /
• 제27권1호
• /
• pp.45-51
• /
• 2003

본 연구는 돼지의 성별에 따른 거세와 난소 적출이 체성장과 사료 이용성, 혈중 호르몬 농도에 미치는 영향을 구명하기 위하여 축산기술연구소에서 계통 조성중인 35일령의 돼지 48두를 이용하여 실시하였으며, 얻어진 주요 결과를 요약하면 다음과 같다. 1. 체성장 및 사료 이용성 산육능력에 있어서 암퇘지 난소 적출구의 일당증체량은 898.6 g으로 대조구의 862.7 g보다 높게 나타났으나 유의차는 없었고, 수퇘지 거세구의 일당증체 량은 926.0 g으로 대조구의 945.5 g 보다 약간 낮았으며, 유의차는 없었으나, 수퇘지 대조구는 암퇘지군 보다 일당증체량이 높게 나타났다. 사료요구율은 수퇘지 대조구가 2.51로 가장 낮게 나타났으며 암퇘지군에 비해 유의하게 낮았으나 거세구와의 유의차는 없었으며, 난소 적출구와 대조구와는 차이가 없었다. 등지방 두께는 수퇘지 대조구가 1.65 cm로 가장 낮게 나타났고, 암퇘지군과 유의차는 없었으며, 각각의 대조구가 시험구에 비해 유의하게 낮게 나타났다. 2. 혈중 호르몬 변화 혈중호르몬 변화에 있어서 IGF-I 농도는 암퇘지군 대조구에서는 5주령의 45.1$\pm$0.72ng/m1에서 15주령의 356.3$\pm$3.05ng/ml까지 점차적으로 높은 경향을 나타내었으나, 그 이후부터 23주령까지 일정한 수준으로 유지되었다. 수퇘지 군에서도 혈중 IGF-I 농도 변화는 암퇘지와 비슷한 경향을 보였으나 전구간에서 암퇘지 군에 비해 수쾌지 군이 다소 높은 경향을 보였다. 한편, 거세 및 난소 적출구의 경우에는 각각의 대조구에 비해 다소 낮은 경 향치를 나타내었다. 혈중 스테로이드 호르몬 변화에 있어서 대조구 암퇘지의 혈중 estradiol-l7$\beta$ 농도는 5주령에서는 극히 낮은 수준이었으나, 그 이후 11주령의 21.8$\pm$1.61pg/ml에서 23주령까지 점차 증가되었다. 또한 대조구의 혈중 progesterone 농도는 5주령에 비해 11주령 이후부터 다소 높은 농도를 나타내었다. 반면에 난소적출된 암퇘지에 있어서는 estradiol-17$\beta$와 progesterone 농도는 거의 검출한계 이하로 나타났다. 한편, 수퇘지의 testosterone 농도는 대조구의 5주령에서는 0.28$\pm$0.17ng/ml로 낮은 수준이었으나 11주령에서는 4.63$\pm$0.78ng/ml로 증가되었으며 그 후 23주령까지 유의적으로 증가되었다. 이에 반해 거세돼지의 경우에는 23주령까지 전혀 검출이 되지 않아 거세돼지의 경우 혈중 testosterone은 거의분비가 되지 않는 것으로 나타났다.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제31권4호
• /
• pp.537-547
• /
• 2018

Objective: This study was performed to understand transcriptional changes in the genes involved in gluconeogenesis and glycolysis pathways following castration of bulls. Methods: Twenty Korean bulls were weaned at average 3 months of age, and castrated at 6 months. Liver tissues were collected from bulls (n = 10) and steers (n = 10) of Korean cattle, and hepatic gene expression levels were measured using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. We examined hepatic transcription levels of genes encoding enzymes for irreversible reactions in both gluconeogenesis and glycolysis as well as genes encoding enzymes for the utilization of several glucogenic substrates. Correlations between hepatic gene expression and carcass characteristics were performed to understand their associations. Results: Castration increased the mRNA (3.6 fold; p<0.01) and protein levels (1.4 fold; p<0.05) of pyruvate carboxylase and mitochondrial phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase genes (1.7 fold; p<0.05). Hepatic mRNA levels of genes encoding the glycolysis enzymes were not changed by castration. Castration increased mRNA levels of both lactate dehydrogenase A (1.5 fold; p<0.05) and lactate dehydrogenase B (2.2 fold; p<0.01) genes for lactate utilization. Castration increased mRNA levels of glycerol kinase (2.7 fold; p<0.05) and glycerol-3-phosphate dehydrogenase 1 (1.5 fold; p<0.05) genes for glycerol utilization. Castration also increased mRNA levels of propionyl-CoA carboxylase beta (mitochondrial) (3.5 fold; p<0.01) and acyl-CoA synthetase short chain family member 3 (1.3 fold; p = 0.06) genes for propionate incorporation. Conclusion: Castration increases transcription levels of critical genes coding for enzymes involved in irreversible gluconeogenesis reactions from pyruvate to glucose and enzymes responsible for incorporation of glucogenic substrates including lactate, glycerol, and propionate. Hepatic gluconeogenic gene expression levels were associated with intramuscular fat deposition.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
• /
• 제11권2호
• /
• pp.121-127
• /
• 1998

Thirty two Omani sheep with eight animals each of; intact males (INT), males castrated with rubber rings immediately after birth (RR), males castrated with a burdizzo at 8 weeks of age (BC) and intact females (IF) were fed ad libitum a concentrate diet (CP 16%) plus chopped Rhodesgrass hay (8% CP) from weaning until slaughter at 28 kg. INT lambs grew faster from 9 to 20 weeks of age (p < 0.05) thus they were significantly heavier at 20 weeks of age than BC and IF, but not RR lambs. INT consumed more total feed than other sex groups over the period from 9 to 20 weeks of age. There were no significant differences between lambs of all experimental groups in feed per gain ratio. INT lambs had lower (p < 0.01) dressing percentage (DP) than RR, BC and IF. As a percentage in the empty body weight (EBW), INT had higher proportions of head, feet, empty gut (p < 0.001), liver (p < 0.05) and genitals (p < 0.05) but lower proportions of lungs and trachea (p < 0.05) than BC and IF lambs. INT males had a significantly higher (p < 0.05) proportion of bone than RR and IF lambs but lower (p < 0.05) proportion of fat than RR and IF. As a percentage in EBW, IF had the highest protortion (p < 0.001) of total body fat (TBF) followed by BC and RR whereas INT males had the lowest proportion. There was a general trend of IF having the highest proportion of individual and total non-carcass fat (TNCF) and total carcass fat (TCF) followed by BC and RR lambs whereas INT lambs had the lowest protortions of individual carcass and non-carcass fat depots. There were only few sex or castration effects on carcass tissue distribution. IF had higher proportions of intermuscular fat in the chuck, plate, leg and flank than INT and BC. The current study demonstrated that castration of intensively-raised male Omani native sheep especially at weaning using a burdizzo retarded growth rate and reduced carcass quality by increasing fat content.

• 한국축산식품학회지
• /
• 제30권3호
• /
• pp.419-426
• /
• 2010

재래흑염소를 각 처리구별로 8두씩 배치하여 총 32두(4처리$\times$8두)를 대상으로 대조구(생후 5개월령의 비거세구)와 3개 처리구(T1구: 7개월령 거세구, T2구: 5개월령 거세구, T3구: 3개월령 거세구)로 구분 배치하여 총 410일간 시험한 결과는 다음과 같다. 비육 전기간(410일간) 동안의 총 증체량은 T2구(28.4 kg)으로 가장 높았으며, 일당증체량에서도 비슷한 경향을 보였다. 총 사료섭취량는 T3구가 410.82 kg으로 가장 낮았고, 사료요구율은 T2가 16.39로 사료효율성이 가장 좋게 나타났다. 흑염소 육의 가열감량과 드롭로스는 대조구가 각각 35.53%와 2.08로 가장 높았고(p<0.05), 총 콜레스테롤함량은 시험구가 대조 구 보다 더 높았다(p<0.05). 또한 관능검사의 다즙성, 연도, 향미, 조직감, 염소 특이취 및 종합평가에서도 전반적으로 처리구가 대조구보다 낮아 더 좋은 관능검사 결과를 보였으며(p<0.05), 그 중에서도 T2구(3.61점)가 가장 좋았다(p<0.05). 육색에서 명도(L)값과 Hue값은 대조구가 가장 낮았고, 적색도(a)값은 T3구, 황색도(b)와 Chroma는 T2구가 가장 높게 나타났다. 지방산 조성에서 oleic acid은 T2구가 53.76%으로 나타났고, 단일불포화지방산 함량(MUFA)은 T1구와 T2구가 가장 높았다(p<0.05). 따라서 MUFA/SFA의 비율은 T1구와 T2구가 대조구보다 더 높았다(p<0.05). 이상의 결과를 종합해볼 때, 고품질 흑염소육 생산을 위해서는 생후 5개월령의 거세가 생산성과 육질개선에서 가장 유리할 것으로 판단된다.