Efeito da castração sobre o desempenho e rentabilidade da terminação de bovinos de corte em confinamento de aluguel

Abstract

:Effects of castration on performance and profitability of finishing beef cattle in feedlotwas evaluated and compared to no-castrated animals. Data came from a rent feedlot of beef cattle,conducted from August to November of 2005. Half of 50 animals, randomly chosen, were castratedby knife 18 days before the beginning of feedlot. Averages of initial body weight for castrated andno-castrated animals were 341kg and 347kg, while for final body weight were 437kg and 463kg,respectively. Were considered as expenses arroba value of thin cattle (R$50.00), and R$2.85 dailyexpenses per animal paid by cattle owner to “boitel”; and were considered as earnings sale of fatcattle at R$56.14 and R$54.14/arroba, respectively for castrated and no-castrated animals. Forprofitability analysis, CU$TO BOVINO CORTE software was utilized. Was tested the meandifferences between castrated and intact groups by Student t test of average daily weight gains(GMPD) and total weight gain (GMPT). Was acceptable the minimum level of confidence of 95%.Statistical analysis was performed in SPSS 17.0 program. Effect of castration negatively influencedanimals ́ performance, evaluated by weight gain, and, consequently profitability of the system,evaluated by net margin. Earnings from sale of additional arrobas of no-castrated animals wereenough to compensate penalization practiced by packinghouses for these animals.