The effect of age at castration on the growth rate and carcass traits of Moxotó kids

Abstract

The experiment was conducted between 1979 and 1980 to study the effect of castration at different ages of Moxotó breed kids on growth and carcass characteristics. Eighty-five kids were randomly grouped into the following five treatments: control group, without castration (T₁); castrated at 7 days of age (T₂); castrated at 60 days (T₃); castrated at 120 days (T₄); and castrated at 180 days of age (T₅). Burdizzo method was used for castration. The number of animals in each treatment and in the two years was different, mainly due to death. Types of birth and years were the other factors considered in the statistical analysis. The birth weight was used as a covariable. The traits studied were; weights at weaning (112 days), at six months, at twelve months and at slaughter and some carcass traits like dressing percentage and length of carcass. The results showed that there was no effect of castration at any age on any of the traits studied, but years and the types of birth had marked effects on all the traits. It was therefore concluded that there was no difference in the castrated and non-castrated kids in growth and carcass characteristics and the castration may be undertaken only between 60 and 120 days of age by which time the growth performance of kids will identify the animals with the best mating performance.