Table 3. Comparison of sirloin ultrasound traits according to short-term fattening period and castration method in Hanwoo

Item	Months	Castration		Hemi-castration		SEM	p-value
		24 months	26 months	24 months	26 months		CM	SFP	CM × SFP
Back fat thickness (mm)
	20	8.70	7.25	4.41	4.63	0.577	0.001	0.107	0.040
	22	9.60	8.63	5.21	5.81	0.605	0.001	0.612	0.089
	24	10.80	9.38	5.38	5.94	0.666	0.001	0.257	0.025
	26	-	11.00	-	6.56	0.884	0.001	-	-
Rib eye area (cm2)
	20	93.40	93.38	92.94	91.13	0.961	0.778	0.385	0.399
	22	98.73	98.88	99.12	98.00	1.074	0.884	0.691	0.596
	24	102.27	103.13	102.29	100.88	1.062	0.996	0.850	0.313
	26	-	106.00	-	102.25	1.440	0.815	-	-
Marbling score
	20	3.07	3.13	1.41	1.63	0.217	0.001	0.432	0.678
	22	3.60	3.50	1.41	1.63	0.265	0.001	0.802	0.415
	24	3.93	3.75	1.47	1.75	0.294	0.001	0.867	0.259
	26	-	4.38	-	1.75	0.520	0.001	-	-

CM, castration method; SFP, short-term fattening period.