A COMPARISON OF PRODUCTION TRAITS AND WELFARE IMPLICATIONS BETWEEN HORNED AND POLLED BEEF BULLS

Data from two record of performance test stations (ROP) were used to c ompare selected traits of polled and horned bulls. The University of S askatchewan (SASK) ROP test station provided data on 578 Charolais (CH ) and 375 Hereford (HE) bulls from 1985 to 1992, while the Alberta (AL TA) Hereford ROP station provided data on 1485 HE bulls from 1985 to 1 993. Polled and homed CH bulls from SASK showed similar (P > 0.05) on- test average daily gain (ADG), while polled HE bulls from SASK showed significantly higher (P < 0.03) ADG than their horned counterparts (1. 41 +/- 0.01 and 1.36 +/- 0.02, respectively). Polled CH bulls were 11. 4% fatter than homed bulls at the end of the test (P < 0.01). No signi ficant differences in ADG, weight per day of age (WPDA) or scrotal cir cumference (SC) were observed between polled and homed HE bulls in ALT A. These results show no disadvantage for polled bulls compared to hom ed for ADG, WPDA, adjusted SC and adjusted yearling weight. From a wel fare perspective, it may be advantageous to use polled bulls to circum vent the need for dehorning.