Abstract

The aim of this study was to evaluate the in vivo quantitative traits of carcass and commercial cuts of lambs fed diets containing 0, 12.5, and 25.0% mulberry hay replacing the concentrate. Twentyfour Ile de France lambs at approximately 60 days of age, with 15 kg body weight, were confined in individual stalls and slaughtered at 32 kg. Increasing levels of mulberry hay in the diet resulted in a linear increase in chest depth (R2=0.84), leg muscularity index (R2=0.71), and muscle:bone ratio (R2=0.95); a linear decrease in leg compactness index (R2 =0.75), shoulder weight (R2=0.78), and femur weight (R2=0.99) and length (R2=0.86); and a quadratic response from chilling losses (R2=1.0) and percentage of intermuscular fat. Mulberry hay can be used in the feeding of feedlot lambs without compromising their carcass quantitative characteristics.

Talk to us

Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have

Schedule a call

Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.