Effects of immunocastration on growth performance, body composition, meat quality, and boar taint

Roman Stupka, Jaroslav Čítek, Karel Vehovský, Kateřina Zadinová, Monika Okrouhlá, Daniela Urbanová and Luděk Stádník
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Jaroslav Čítek: Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Karel Vehovský: Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Kateřina Zadinová: Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Monika Okrouhlá: Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Daniela Urbanová: Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
Luděk Stádník: Department of Animal Husbandry, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic

Czech Journal of Animal Science, 2017, vol. 62, issue 6, 249-258

Abstract: The study objective was to evaluate the effect of immunocastration in the period between the first and second vaccinations and subsequently between the second vaccination and slaughter on growth performance, carcass composition, meat quality, and boar taint, and compare results in immunocastrated males (IC), uncastrated boars (UCM), surgically castrated barrows (CM), and gilts (FE). The study included 70 pigs of the Duroc × (Large White × Landrace) crossbreed. Upon the overall assessment of the selected fattening indicators (average daily gain, feed intake), significant differences between CM and the other groups were demonstrated. Meanwhile, no significant differences were found between the IC, UCM, and FE groups. In this test, immunocastrates showed no negative effect from the second vaccination in relation to those carcass value indicators evaluated in comparison with UCM and FE. CM showed adversely lower carcass value parameters compared the other groups. No significant differences in pH, meat colour, drip loss, shear force, and intramuscular fat were found. The values of these indicators obtained for IC converged with those measured in UCM and FE. It was demonstrated that immunocastration prevented the occurrence of undesired boar taint. Androstenone decreased by 77% and skatole by 71% in IC as compared to UCM.

Keywords: pig; castration; carcass value; androstenone; skatole (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:caa:jnlcjs:v:62:y:2017:i:6:id:99-2016-cjas

DOI: 10.17221/99/2016-CJAS

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