Castrating bulls when they are young produces more profit, say cattle
researchers and production consultants.
“There are a lot of differing thoughts about castration timing, but
what we know in the feeding industry is that early castration and
implantation with hormones produces more healthy steers at the
slaughter plant,” said Joyce Van Donkersgoed, an Alberta veterinary
consultant and researcher.
She said her studies have found that steers castrated between 500 and
700 pounds when entering feedlots failed to make up for lost days on
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feed.
“As long as producers are allowed to use hormones, early castration
will be the most effective and the easiest on the animals.”
Joe Stookey is an associate professor at the University of
Saskatchewan’s Western College of Veterinary Medicine who has studied
castration timing and methods. He said early castration results in less
disease and better overall returns than later castration on more mature
animals.
He said his research has found that bull calves left whole until 500
lb. or heavier gained five percent more than calves that were cut early
in life, but only one percent more than young castrated calves treated
with hormone implants.
Feedlots and packers pay less for bulls because of behaviour problems,
risks of dark cutting and meat quality concerns.
Feedlots have to then castrate the larger animals or face even lower
prices from packers.
“This difference more than compensates for the cost of the implant and
the minor risk of infection or complications (of early castration),”
Stookey said.
He and Van Donkersgoed said the rubber rings used on young calves and
early surgical castrations have proved to be humane and safe.
Van Donkersgoed said improperly done late castrations using Burdizzo
rings or other straps could produce partial bulls with “belly nuts”
that are difficult to further castrate or treat. Packers will discount
these animals if left untreated.
As well, these animals may develop buller behaviour in the feedlot and
injure themselves and other animals, stress pen mates and fail to gain
weight well.
In a 1999 United States Department of Agriculture study, 97 percent of
cattle producers of 300 or more animals said they castrated and
dehorned early. Of those producing less than 40 head, only 33 percent
castrated and dehorned early.
“The USDA has looked at this and the American industry is similar to
our own,” Stookey said. “They showed that cattle producers that are
doing it as a primary business choose to castrate early. They do it
that way because it makes the most money and is the most humane for
their herds. If it didn’t make sense, they wouldn’t do it that way.”
Van Donkersgoed said producers need to be aware of the consumer
approval of their practices.
“You have to know that the consumer won’t put up with practices they
find less than appealing, and late castration is one of those.”
Stookey agreed, saying governments will eventually require all
producers to adhere to a code of practice, which likely won’t include
late castration.
In 2001 a European Union study recommended “farmers should castrate
bull calves as early in life as possible, as early as the day of birth.”
The report said “early castration provides for the greatest lifetime
gains under most production systems as long as growth promotant
implants are properly used to replace the anabolic effects of
testosterone which is produced by the testicles.”
Stookey is convinced that public opinion would prefer hormone use to
the castration of older animals.
