Performance and ingestive and social behavior of young cattle with different sexual conditions supplemented in Aruana pasture

Abstract

This study was conducted aiming at measuring the performance and behavior of beef cattle surgically castrated, immunocastrated or non-castrated, finished at 18 months old in Aruana pasture and with energy supplementation. Thirty-nine male bovines with an initial average body weight and age of 284.1 ± 31.4 kg and 14 months old, respectively, were used. The bromatological composition analysis and productive parameters of the pasture did not differ between treatments. The performance of young cattle was not changed by the sexual condition. When evaluating the agonistic behavior, the non-castrated bovine presented a higher number of activities, such as threats and fights, in relation to those immunocastrated. The time spent on the feeder by non-castrated young cattle (56.20 minutes) was higher than that observed for surgically castrated or immunocastrated (41.43 and 32.38 minutes, respectively). The combination between the correct management of Aruana pasture and use of supplementation showed to be promising for finishing bovines. Both surgically castrated and immunocastrated steers demonstrated to be equivalents in the performed evaluations. Therefore, if the farmer chooses castration, the use of immunocastration is suggested. This practice is less invasive, preserves animal welfare more than surgical castration, and has a lower cost.