Management
2019
When is the Best
Time to Castrate
Bull Calves?
By W. Mark Hilton
SHOW & SALE
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SELLING 40 HEAD
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SHOW: Saturday, MARCH 2, 10 a.m.
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Louisville, KY
SALE MANAGEMENT:
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ADDITIONAL PRIZES & ATTRACTIONS
• Breeder’s Best 3 Head - $500
• March 3 - Junior Heifer & Steer Show, open to all Junior Exhibitors
38 | FEBRUARY 2019
Research shows time and time
again, whether it is because of
profit or pain management, that the
earlier you castrate, the better.
A Kansas State University study showed
that bulls castrated and implanted at an
average of 3 months of age weighed 2
pounds more at 7.5 months of age than
did the intact bull calves in the same
study. At 7.5 months, the bulls were
castrated, and then both groups were
weighed 28 days later to assess gain.
The steers castrated as calves gained
48 pounds, while the bulls that were
cut at an average of 578 pounds
only gained 33 pounds. That is a lost
potential gain of 15 pounds, as these
late-castrated bulls had to deal with
the stress of healing from surgery.
The fallacy is that there is a positive
“testosterone effect” that justifies not
castrating until bulls weigh 500 pounds
or more. This is a myth. When bull
calves were blood-tested to measure
testosterone levels, significantly
high levels did not occur until 8 to
9 months of age. Studies show that
bulls castrated at over 500 pounds
will lose weight for two weeks after
castration. How can that be beneficial?
While there are many reasons
to be in the cattle business, two
that generally lead the list are to
provide the best care for the animals