Table 2.
Production parameters of surgically castrated (SC) and immunocastrated (IC) cattle.
| Parameter | SC Mean ± SEM |
IC Mean ± SEM |
p-Value |
|---|---|---|---|
| LW initial (kg) | 194.5 ± 4.10 (n = 40) | 197.5 ± 4.0 (n = 40) | ns |
| LW d 170 (kg) | 353 a ± 4.3 (n = 40) | 377 b ± 5.45 (n = 40) | <0.01 |
| LW d 190 (kg) | 428 a ± 5.0 (n = 40) | 450 b ± 6.5 (n = 40) | <0.01 |
| ADG 1st (kg/d) | 1.46 ± 0.10 (n = 40) | 1.44 ± 0.07 (n = 40) | ns |
| ADG 2nd (kg/d) | 0.99 ± 0.05 (n = 40) | 1.09 ± 0.06 (n = 40) | ns |
| ADG final (kg/d) | 1.75 ± 0.02 (n = 40) | 1.84 ± 0.03 (n = 40) | <0.01 |
| HCW (kg) | 217 a ± 3.2 (n = 20) | 237 b ± 3.5 (n = 20) | <0.05 |
| Dressing percentage (%) | 51 a ± 0.4 (n = 20) | 53 b ± 0.4 (n = 20) | <0.05 |
| pH 24 h | 6.0 ± 0.05 (n = 20) | 6.0 ± 0.04 (n = 20) | ns |
| Fat coverage | 1 (n = 20) | 1 (n = 20) | ns |
| Category | V (n = 20) | V (n = 20) | ns |
Live weight (LW) at the beginning of the trial and on days 170 and 190; ADG average daily weight gain between the onset of the study and primary vaccination (first), between the primary vaccination and the booster (second), and from the booster to day 190 (final); Hot carcass weight (HCW, carcass weight without viscera, leather, head, legs, and tail); Dressing percentage (HCW/LW expressed as percentage); Fat coverage (score scale from 1 to 3) and pH at 24 h post-mortem. Differences in the number of animals for HCW, dressing percentage, pH, and fat coverage are due to missing data from the slaughterhouse. Category according to Chilean classification. ns = not significant (p-value > 0.05).