Hostname: page-component-848d4c4894-ndmmz Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-06-11T11:01:27.788Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

A note on the effect of castration on the growth performance and concentrations of some blood metabolites and hormones in British Friesian male cattle

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  02 September 2010

H. Galbraith ,
D. G. Dempster  and
T. B. Miller
H. Galbraith
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture, 581 King Street, Aberdeen AB9 1UD
D. G. Dempster
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture, 581 King Street, Aberdeen AB9 1UD
T. B. Miller
Affiliation:
School of Agriculture, 581 King Street, Aberdeen AB9 1UD
Get access

Abstract

Eight British Friesian bulls and eight steers were compared in terms of performance and levels of metabolites and hormones in circulating blood. Under conditions of generous nutrition the bulls grew significantly more quickly, exhibited a superior feed conversion efficiency and had lower levels of serum albumin and plasma urea and higher levels of serum growth hormone and prolactin than the steers. Differences in levels of plasma glucose and free fatty acids and serum total protein and insulin were not significant. It is suggested that the superior growth performance of the bulls is due, at least partially, to hormonally mediated differences in nitrogen metabolism that result in a greater deposition of lean tissue and hence increased weight gain.

Type
Research Article
Information
Animal Production , Volume 26 , Issue 3 , June 1978 , pp. 339 - 342
Copyright
Copyright © British Society of Animal Science 1978

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Anfinson, M. S., Christian, E., Everson, D. O. and Davis, S. L. 1975. Daily GH secretory patterns in bulls and steers. J. Anim. Sci. 41: 342 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Baird, J. D., Black, M. W. and Faulkner, D. E. 1967. Semi-automated method for the determination of free fatty acids in plasma. J. clin. Path. 20: 905–909.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Brown, W. B., Driver, P. M., Jones, R. and Forbes, J. M. 1976. Growth, prolactin and growth hormone in lambs treated with CB154. J. Endocr. 69: 47P (Abstr.).Google ScholarPubMed
Clemens, M. J. and Pain, V. M. 1976. Amino acid supply and protein synthesis in animal cells. In Protein Metabolism and Nutrition (ed. Cole, D. J. A.Boorman, K. N.Buttery, P. J.Lewis, D.Neale, R. J. and Swan, H.), pp. 19–33. Butterworth, London.Google Scholar
Failing, J. F., Buckley, M. W. and Zak, B. 1960. Automatic determination of serum proteins. Am. J. din. Path. 33: 83–88.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Faulkner, D. E. 1965. An automated micro determination of blood-glucose with the AutoAnalyzer. Analyst, Lond. 90: 736–744.Google Scholar
Field, R. A. 1971. Effect of castration on meat quality and quantity. J. Anim. Sd. 32: 849–858.Google Scholar
Forbes, J. M., El Shahat, A. A., Driver, P. M., Jones, R. and Boaz, T. G. 1975. Effect of daylength on the growth of lambs. Proc. Br. Soc. Anim. Prod. (New Series) 4: 102 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Galbraith, H. and Chesworth, J. M. 1977. A double antibody solid phase method for the radioimmunoassay of bovine growth hormone. Lab. Pract. 26: 471–472.Google Scholar
Galbraith, H. and Miller, T. B. 1977. Effect of trienbolone acetate on the performance, blood metabolites and hormones and nitrogen metabolism of beef heifers. Anim. Prod. 24: 133–134 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Galbraith, H., Miller, T. B. and Dempster, D. G. 1976. Comparison of the performance and blood characteristics of growing entire and castrate male cattle. Anim. Prod. 22: 144–145 (Abstr.).Google Scholar
Galbraith, H. and Topps, J. H. 1978. Effect of hormones on nutrient composition of animals. In Handbook Series in Nutrition and Food (ed. Rechcigl, M.). CRC Press, Cleveland, Ohio. In press.Google Scholar
Gortsema, S. R., Jacobs, J. A., Sasser, R. G., Gregory, T. L. and BULL, R. C. 1974. Effects of endogenous testosterone on production and carcass traits in beef cattle. J. Anim. Sd. 39: 680–686.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Hart, I. C., Bines, J. A., Balch, C. C. and Cowie, A. T. 1975. Hormone and metabolite differences between lactating beef and dairy cattle. Life Sd. 16: 1285–1291.Google Scholar
Heitzman, R. J. and Chan, K. H. 1974. Alterations in weight gain and levels of plasma metabolites, proteins, insulin and free fatty acids following implantation of an anabolic steroid in heifers. Br. vet. J. 130: 532–537.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Heitzman, R. J., Chan, K. H. and Hart, I. C. 1977. Liveweight gains, blood levels of metabolites, proteins and hormones following implantation of anabolic agents in steers. Br.vet. J. 133:62–70.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Kutsky, R. J. 1973. Handbook of Vitamins and Hormones. Van Nostrand Reinhold, London.Google Scholar
Manchester, K. L. 1976. Hormonal control of protein metabolism. In Protein Metabolism and Nutrition (ed. Cole, D. J. A.Boorman, K. N.Buttery, P. J.Lewis, D.Neale, R. J. and Swan, H.), pp. 35–47. Butterworth, London.Google Scholar
Marsh, W. H., Fingerhut, B. and Miller, H. 1975. Automated and manual direct methods for the determination of blood urea. Clin. Chem. 11: 624–627.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Miller, T. B., Chigaru, P., Downie, J. G., Galbraith, H., MacDonald, D. C. and Topps, J. H. 1978. Observations under field conditions—the suckler cow. In The Use of Blood Profiles in Animal Production, pp. 71-86. BSAP Occ. Publ. No. 1.Google Scholar
Northam, B. E. and Widdowson, G. M. 1967. Determination of serum albumin by autoanalyser using bromocresol green. Ass. Clin. Biochem. Tech. Bull., No. 11.Google Scholar
Swan, H. 1976. The physiological interrelationship of reproduction, lactation and nutrition in the cow. In Principles of Cattle Production (ed. Swan, H. and Broster, W. H.), pp. 85–102. Butterworth, London.Google Scholar
Webster, A. J. F., Smith, J. S. and Mollison, G. S. 1977. Prediction of the energy requirements for growth in beef cattle. 3. Body weight and heat production in Hereford x British Friesian bulls and steers. Anim. Prod. 24: 237–244.Google Scholar