Effects of sexual condition and age on carcass characteristics and grading of Sussex cattle in Zimbabwe

The effects of sexual condition and age at slaughter on carcass characteristics were investigated in Sussex cattle. At three months of age 93 male calves were allocated to three sexual treatments: entire, cryptorchid and castrate. The cattle were weaned at eight months, grazed on range and then placed into feedlots for 90 days prior to slaughter at 15, 18 or 21 months of age. Entire and cryptorchid cattle gained more (P < 0.01) weight and had heavier and learner carcasses than the castrates. Although cattle slaughtered at 15 months of age had better fleshing grades than those slaughtered at 18 or 21 months of age, no animal was down-graded for exhibiting marked secondary sexual characteristics.