Effects of early castration on carcass composition, yield and quality characteristics of meat from young reindeer ( Rangifer tarandus tarandus ) bulls and steers

Thirty male reindeer; n =16 bulls (control treatment) and n =14 steers (castrated males) were used to evaluate the effects of early castration on carcass yield and meat quality attributes. The reindeer were castrated at 2 and 13 months of age, and then slaughtered at 2 and 3 years of age. Live weights and carcass weights were significantly highest in the 3 year old bulls and steers. Dressing percentage did not differ between the 2 and 3 year old reindeer steers castrated at 2 months; however these values were higher than for 2 year old steers castrated at 13 months. Meat ultimate pH values (measured in the striploin; LD) were significantly highest in 2 year old steers castrated at 13 months and their corresponding control group of 2 year old bulls, indicating low muscle glycogen stores at slaughter. Castration had an effect on fat content with 3 year old steers having a higher fat content than bulls. No significant differences were found in any sensory attribute when the trained panel compared the meat from 2 year old reindeer bulls and steers. Abstract in Swedish / Sammanfattning: Effekter av tidig kastrering pa slaktkroppssammansattning, styckningsutbyte och kottkvalitet hos unga renar Trettio hanrenar; n =16 tjurar (kontrolldjur) och n =14 kastrater (harkar) ingick i denna studie for att utvardera effekterna av tidig kastrering pa slaktkroppssammansattning och kottkvalitetsparametrar. Renarna kastrerades vid 2 respektive 13 manaders alder och slaktades sedan nar de var antingen 2 eller 3 ar gamla. Levandevikt och slaktkroppsvikt var hogst for 3 ar gamla tjurar och harkar. Slaktutbytet skiljde sig inte mellan 2 och 3 ar gamla harkar som kastrerats vid 2 manaders alder, men deras slaktutbyte var hogre an for de 2-ariga harkarna som kastrerats vid 13 manaders alder. Kottets pH-varde (matt i ytterfilen) var signifikant hogst hos de 2-ariga harkarna som kastrerats vid 13 manaders alder och deras tillhorande kontrollgrupp av 2-ariga tjurar, vilket tydde pa laga nivaer av muskelglykogen vid slakt. Kastrering hade en signifikant effekt pa fettinnehallet i slaktkropparna hos de 3-ariga renarna, med de hogsta fetthalterna hos harkarna. Inga skillnader i atkvalitet rapporterades nar kott fran 2-ariga rentjurar och harkar jamfordes.

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