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

摘要

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 p? slaktkroppssammans?ttning, styckningsutbyte och k?ttkvalitet hos unga renar Trettio hanrenar; n =16 tjurar (kontrolldjur) och n =14 kastrater (h?rkar) ingick i denna studie f?r att utv?rdera effekterna av tidig kastrering p? slaktkroppssammans?ttning och k?ttkvalitetsparametrar. Renarna kastrerades vid 2 respektive 13 m?naders ?lder och slaktades sedan n?r de var antingen 2 eller 3 ?r gamla. Levandevikt och slaktkroppsvikt var h?gst f?r 3 ?r gamla tjurar och h?rkar. Slaktutbytet skiljde sig inte mellan 2 och 3 ?r gamla h?rkar som kastrerats vid 2 m?naders ?lder, men deras slaktutbyte var h?gre ?n f?r de 2-?riga h?rkarna som kastrerats vid 13 m?naders ?lder. K?ttets pH-v?rde (m?tt i ytterfilén) var signifikant h?gst hos de 2-?riga h?rkarna som kastrerats vid 13 m?naders ?lder och deras tillh?rande kontrollgrupp av 2-?riga tjurar, vilket tydde p? l?ga niv?er av muskelglykogen vid slakt. Kastrering hade en signifikant effekt p? fettinneh?llet i slaktkropparna hos de 3-?riga renarna, med de h?gsta fetthalterna hos h?rkarna. Inga skillnader i ?tkvalitet rapporterades n?r k?tt fr?n 2-?riga rentjurar och h?rkar j?mf?rdes.