Effects of feeding system, slaughter weight and sex lamb carcass characteristics, palatability, histology and fatty acid composition

Abstract

Two experiments involving 154 crossbred lambs were undertaken to study the effects of postweaning feeding regime, slaughter weight and sex on carcass characteristics, palatability of meat as well as histology and fatty acid composition of longissimus muscle and adipose tissue. Thirty-six wethers and 36 ewes (Experiment 1) and 41 wethers and 41 rams (Experiment 2), were weaned at 18 kg and grazed on bluegrass pasture until they reached 31.8 kg at which time 4 (Experiment 1) or 5 (Experiment 2) lambs of each sex were slaughtered. The remaining lambs were randomly assigned (equal; sex distribution) to drylot (13 or 16% crude protein) or pasture (with or without creep) . In Experiment 2, the drylot 16% crude protein treatment was omitted. The lambs were slaughtered at their predesignated slaughter weights (41 or 50 kg), chilled at 3C for 48 hours, graded and carcass data obtained.