title: Effects on performance and meat quality of Holstein bulls fed high concentrate diets without implants following immunological castration.
abstract: The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of the GnRH vaccine on the performance and meat quality of Holstein bulls fed high concentrate diets. A total of 493 approximately 7month old bulls (initial BW 298±1.2kg) were allocated into 3 treatment groups, intact bulls (n=164), animals surgically castrated at 15 to 17d of the study (n=164), and animals vaccinated on 0 and 28d of the study with the GnRH vaccine (n=165). Animals were slaughtered between 131 and 133d and carcass quality was evaluated. Hot carcass weight, dressing percentage, fat classification and meat quality parameters did not differ significantly between surgically castrated and vaccinated animals but differed (P<0.05) from intact bulls. Carcass classification, pH at 26h, and fat color were not affected by treatment.
authors.affiliation: IRTA-Ruminant Production, Animal Nutrition, Management, and Welfare Research Group, Torre Marimon, Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona, Spain.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Marti
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine R&D, Zoetis, Kalamazoo, MI, USA.
authors.forename: J A
authors.initials: JA
authors.lastname: Jackson
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine R & D, Zoetis, Zaventem, Belgium.
authors.forename: N
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Slootmans
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine R&D, Zoetis, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Lopez
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine R&D, Zoetis, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Hodge
authors.affiliation: Department of Product Quality, IRTA-Monells, Finca Camps i Armet, 17121 Monells, Girona, Spain.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pérez-Juan
authors.affiliation: IRTA-Ruminant Production, Animal Nutrition, Management, and Welfare Research Group, Torre Marimon, Caldes de Montbui, Barcelona, Spain. Electronic address: maria.devant@irta.cat.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Devant
authors.affiliation: Veterinary Medicine R&D, Zoetis, Parkville, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Amatayakul-Chantler
mesh_terms: D000821:Animal Feed / Q000032:analysis*; D000824:Animal Nutritional Physiological Phenomena; D000818:Animals; D001823:Body Composition; D002417:Cattle; D004032:Diet / Q000662:veterinary; D004305:Dose-Response Relationship, Drug; D063427:Food Quality; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone / Q000008:administration & dosage; D006863:Hydrogen-Ion Concentration; D016014:Linear Models; D008297:Male; D009919:Orchiectomy / Q000662:veterinary; D000069466:Red Meat; D014611:Vaccination / Q000662:veterinary; D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive / Q000008:administration & dosage*
chemical_list: D022642:Vaccines, Contraceptive; D007987:Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone
keywords: Beef; Immunocastration; Meat quality; Performance