Research note: effects of caponization on broiler growth

The effect of caponization on growth of male broiler chicks was investigated in two experiments. Broiler chicks were caponized, sham-operated, or left as intact controls at 3 wk of age (Experiment 1) or 1 wk of age (Experiment 2). When processed at 7 wk of age, intact control broilers in both experiments were significantly heavier than sham-operated or caponized broilers, with no significant weight differences between sham-operated and caponized birds. However, the slope of growth rate in capons was significantly greater than that of sham-operated controls in Experiment 2. Capons also had significantly larger abdominal fat pads than did sham-operated controls.