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Effects of castration on growth rate, feed conversion efficiency and carcass quality in Damascus goats

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

A. Louca ,
S. Economides  and
J. Hancock
A. Louca
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute, Nicosia, Gyprus
S. Economides
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute, Nicosia, Gyprus
J. Hancock
Affiliation:
Agricultural Research Institute, Nicosia, Gyprus
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Summary

One hundred and forty-two kids of the Damascus breed of goat were used over a 10½-mo period to study the effects of early castration (at 7 days of age) on growth, feed conversion efficiency and carcass quality and late castration (at 7½ mo of age) on the presence or absence of taint in goat meat.

Intact male kids grew faster and used feed more efficiently than castrates until they were about 9 mo old (56 kg live weight). There- after intact kids exhibited strong sexual activity and as a result their growth ceased completely whereas castrates continued growing. Early castrates produced fatter carcasses than those of intact kids. Castration of male kids at the age of about 7½ mo (44 kg live weight) was not successful in this trial and the kids performed very poorly. A taint of varying intensity was present in the meat of intact goats but not in that from any of the early or late castrates.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 24 , Issue 3 , June 1977 , pp. 387 - 391
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1977

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References

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