Effect of Breed of Sire on Carcass Traits and Meat Quality of Katahdin Lambs

Abstract

<span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span><p class="MsoCommentText" style="margin: 0cm 0cm 4pt; text-align: justify; line-height: 12pt; mso-line-height-rule: exactly;"><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span></p><p>Crossbred lambs (<em>n</em> = 40) of 137 ± 3 days of age from Katahdin ewes with either Charollais (KCh), Dorper (KD), Suffolk (KS) and Texel (KT) sires were used in this study. The effect of sire breeds on carcass traits, chemical composition of muscle, meat quality and consumer acceptability was determined. Regarding carcass traits, KCh animals had the highest fat thickness. KT lambs had the smallest <em>M. Longissimusdorsi</em> (MLD) area compared tothat of KCh, KD and KS (17.0, 15.9, 15.5 and 13.9 cm<sup>2</sup>; respectively). Breed of sire had no effect (<em>P</em>>0.05) on the chemical composition, pH or Warner-Bratzler shear force (WBSF) of lamb; however, it did affect meat color. KS lambs had lower<em> L*, a*, b*</em> and Ch* values compared to the other crossbreeds (<em>P</em><0.05). Consumer acceptability of lamb was similar (<em>P</em>>0.05) across genotypes.</p><span style="font-family: Times New Roman; font-size: small;"> </span>