Use of trenbolone acetate and estradiol in intact and castrate male cattle: effects on growth, serum hormones, and carcass characteristics

The effects of anabolic implant on growth, carcass characteristics, and serum hormones were examined in 30 young bulls and steers fed a growing diet then a finishing diet. In a 2 X 3 factorial arrangement, steers and bulls received an implant of trenbolone acetate (TBA), TBA and estradiol-17 beta (E2), or no implant. Blood samples were taken serially (every 20 min for 6 h) at intervals during the growing and finishing phases. Percentage of DM, fat, protein, and ash and Warner-Bratzler shear test were measured and taste panel evaluations of the 9-10-11 rib section were obtained. Treatment with TBA and E2 increased weight gain in steers but not in bulls. There were no differences in feed efficiency, serum growth hormone (GH), and cortisol concentrations between bulls and steers or between treated groups and controls in bulls or steers, although during the finishing phase mean GH concentrations in treated steers were twofold higher than in controls and were similar to those in the bull groups. Serum insulin-like growth factor-I (IGF-I) increased twofold during the growing phase, then remained at that level. Steers implanted with TBA and E2, which had the highest gains among the steer groups, had the highest serum GH and IGF-I. Longissimus steaks from bulls treated with TBA alone or TBA and E2 were comparable to steaks from steers in the shear test. Taste panelists found steaks from TBA- and E2-treated bulls to be similar in tenderness and connective tissue to steaks from steers.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)