Weight Changes of Male Dairy Calves Following Zeranol Implants

Abstract

In a trial to determine the effect of zeranol implants on weight gains from birth to 180 days of age, 269 male Holstein calves were assigned randomly to one of three groups: a) 56 intact calves, b) 106 castrated calves implanted at birth and again at 90 days with 36 mg zeranol, and c) 107 castrated controls. All calves were weighed at 0, 28, 56, 90, and 180 days of age. Zeranol implanted steers averaged 9.2% greater average daily gain at 90 days and 9. 5% greater at the end of the trial than control steers. Intact male calves' weight gains were intermediate between the two steer groups. There was no correlation between implant status, total protein of blood serum, mortality, birth weight, or parity of the dam. During the first 180 days of age, implanting Holstein calves with zeranol at birth and repeated at 90 days can return upwards of $14.89 per dollar invested. (Key words: Zeranol, dairy beef, total serum protein, colostrum, mortality, weight gain.)