Performance and carcass quality in three genetic groups of sheep in Brazil

Maximiliano Tadeu Memória Cardoso,Aline Vieira Landim,Concepta Mcmanus,Helder Louvandini

doi:10.1590/s1516-35982013001000007

Abstract

Three different genetic groups were evaluated for growth up to slaughter and carcass quality for kill out, commercial cuts, non-carcass components, as well as carcass morphometric measurements. Pure Santa Ines (SI), ½ Ile de France × ½ Santa Ines (I × SI) and ½ Texel × ½ Santa Ines (T × SI) lambs were weighed weekly until they reached predetermined slaughter weight (30, 35, 40 and 45 kg). In both creep feeding and fattening the animals from crosses were superior to the Santa Ines hair sheep in terms of daily weight gain and weaned in less time. Crossbred animals also showed better performance than purebred Santa Ines in terms of commercial cuts and carcass weights. Correlations showed that fat depth and eye muscle area decreased with an increase in morphometric measures, indicating that larger animals are possibly later developing in terms of carcass finishing compared with smaller animals. The optimal slaughter weight is approximately 35 kg.

Highlights

Commercial sheep production for meat in Brazil is still in the early stages of development, with live weight determining slaughter age
This study aims to evaluate the performance of Santa Ines lambs as well as crosses with Texel and Ile de France, slaughtered at different weights, in creep feeding and fattening in tropical conditions
No significant differences were found between the growth rates of lambs in the different groups slaughtered at different weights

Summary

Introduction

Commercial sheep production for meat in Brazil is still in the early stages of development, with live weight determining slaughter age. According to Juárez et al (2009), consumer markets demand minimum weights for carcass cuts thereby avoiding slaughter of animals not in a finished condition. Live weight at slaughter may be altered by the way the animal is slaughtered including the effects of fasting time and conditions, as well as time of year and transport (Brasal & Boccard, 1977; Pérez et al, 2007). Quantitative carcass measurements such as relative and actual weights are important as these are criteria used to evaluate animal productivity (Zundt et al, 2001). The finished carcass is the result of a biological process affected by genetic, environmental and management factors, and carcasses differ in quantitative and qualitative factors (Osório & Osório, 2001)

Objectives

Methods

Results