Características de carcaças de bovinos Nelore comercial inteiros e castrados, criados em pastagens e abatidos em duas idades diferentes

Carcass characteristics of commercial Nellore bovines entired and castrated, with physiological maturity of four and six teeth, nearly 30 e 36 months of age, respectively, were studied. Data from thirty-two animals, created at pasture, were used. There was no interaction between sexual condition and ages for all studied variables. For leg length, castrated animals were superior to entire (93,8 vs 89,6cm), while for cushion thickness, animals with four teeth, nearly 30 months of age, were superior to six teeth that had around 36 months of age (24,6 vs 21,6 cm). No difference was observed for other measurements of carcass development. Commercial Nellore entired animals, are not identified as better muscular animals and younger animals are more efficient in musculature deposit in the hind, observed by the cushion thickness.