The Effect of Sex Alteration on Growth and Carcass Characteristics of Beef Cattle

The consumer of today is demanding that meat be tender, flavorful, juicy, and also have a maximum amount of red meat and a minimal amount of fat.Research has shown that bulls gain more rapidly than steers, and are more efficient in the conversion of feed to edible red meat with less fat as compared to steers. Research results have shown that bulls managed under the same finishing conditions, and slaughtered at the same young age do not have as high qualitative characteristics in the meat as those found in steer carcasses handled under the same conditions. This study was designed to see if the quality factors found in the steers, and the high portion of edible meat in the bulls could be obtained by the short scrotum male animal.A study with lambs has shown this can be achieved by the short scrotum male.To short scrotum a male calf, one pushes the testes into the body cavity and applies a rubber ring flush with the body removing the scrotum while the testes are retained in the body cavity resulting in sterility like the steers, but having hormonal production similar to bulls.The objective of this study was to determine the effect of sex alteration on growth and carcass characteristics. Advisor:Vincent H. Arthau