For sensory property, steers castrated at 20 months of age had lower juiciness, and NoC had a greater global sensory property compared with steers castrated at 20 months old. In addition, regardless of age, castration improved tenderness, increased LL total lipids and decreased moisture compared with NoC. Animals castrated at weaning had higher marbling compared with others. The castration did not change the LL muscle area, but decreased total forequarter, chunk, shoulder and eye of round weights, and increased the back fat over LL and rump fat. Intact males had greater cooking losses and carcass yield compared with others, with no differences for LL pH 24 according to the treatments. Animals that were castrated at weaning had lower bodyweight after 10 months of age with no changes in the supplement intakes, average daily gain, hot carcass weight and cold carcass weight compared with NoC. Samples of Longissimus lumborum (LL) were taken to measure meat quality traits. The cold carcass weight, dressing and carcass pH (pH 24), and subprimal cut weights were recorded after 24 h of chilling. Males were weighed, and muscle and fat thickness were periodically evaluated by ultrasonography. Three treatments were assigned: castration at weaning (CW) castration at 20 months old (C20) and intact bulls (NoC). A total of 24 Nellore males were raised in a grass-fed system with Brachiaria brizantha since birth until slaughter (at 30 months old). The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effects of the age of castration on performance, subprimal yield and meat quality of Nellore cattle raised on a pasture system. Castration in beef cattle production has been proposed to reduce sexual and aggressive behaviour, increase carcass fat deposition, and improve meat quality traits, such as tenderness and juiciness.
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