Growth performance and carcass characteristics of Awassi, Morkaraman and Tushin lambs grazed on pasture and supported with concentrate

Abstract

Growth and slaughter and carcass traits of Awassi (A), Morkaraman (M) and Tushin (T) lambs weaned at 2.5 months of age were evaluated. The lambs were fed a concentrate mixture and allowed to graze for 70 days. M lambs showed the highest performance in daily weight gain and the amount of concentrate consumed in addition to grazing on pasture per unit body weight gain. The effects of breed and sex of lamb on daily weight gain on pasture were significant and highly significant, respectively. Male lambs were superior to female lambs with respect to daily weight gain. Hot carcass of M lambs was heavier than those of A and T lambs. M had higher dressing percentage and larger M. longissimus dorsi area than those of A and T lambs. The proportions of wholesale cuts such as loin, sirloin, rib and hindshank were affected by breed. T lambs showed better performance than M lambs in proportion of loin cuts. In addition, the proportion of sirloin and rib cuts for A lambs was found to be higher than that of M lambs. M lambs had significantly higher proportion of hindshank than those of A and T lambs.